青蝶: Blue Butterfly
by SingingBlues
Summary: Two years ago, Allen Walker mysteriously died in his line of duty. Now, Kanda and Lavi were sent to investigate a strange phenomenon happening in several cities―dead Akuma, broken Innocence and appearances of a silver-haired teen who might be the cause of it. The question is―was Allen really dead at that time? Yullen.
1. The Halted Time

**Title: ****青蝶****: Blue Butterfly**

**Genre: Supernatural/Romance/Tragedy/Angst/Drama**

**Pairing: Yullen**

**Fandom: DGM  
**

Summary: Two years ago, Allen Walker mysteriously died in his line of duty. Now, Kanda and Lavi were sent to investigate a strange phenomenon happening in several cities―dead Akuma, broken Innocence and the appearance of a silver-haired teen who might be the cause of it. The question is―was Allen really dead at that time? Yullen.

* * *

_"The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven.."―John Milton, Paradise Lost _

**Prologue: The Halted Time **

He gasped and coughed hoarsely, blood escaping out of his lips and splattering on the ground. Another wave of pain struck his chest hardly, causing his legs to give way as he collapsed onto the grass patch that was leading to a silver lake up ahead. He couldn't stop himself from rolling forward as he clutched his red-stained shirt, desperate to stop the flow of blood which was flowing out uncontrollably. He let out a scream as his broken body crashed onto a tree, before he rolled towards the edge of the lake and finally stopped.

Blood continued to gash out. His senses were numbing fast, and his vision was blurring every second. Silver eyes opened halfway as he breathed with difficulty, trying to get as much oxygen as possible. He gripped on his broken right arm which no longer had any feeling and forced himself to shift his body upright. When the pain finally went away, he let out a sigh, facing the night sky above.

"The stars are beautiful..." He murmured. How long had it been since he saw this breath-taking night view like this? Once in a while, he, Lenalee and Lavi would go to the rooftop of the Black Order to watch the twinkling stars and chat till early morning. The memory might be hazy, but it was still clear in his head, proving that it really existed. Now, he couldn't even remember the times when he could sit down with his friends and have a good chat.

Allen coughed, feeling his energy seeping out of his body fast. It was quiet here, with no one around except him. He really wanted to move on and get away from here before the enemies found out, but he realised that he could no longer move. His Noah powers was slowly repairing his body, but he wasn't even sure whether he could make it back alive.

Silver eyes widened as he covered his mouth and coughed, and a few minutes later, blood slowly trickled between his fingers and trailed down his arms. His head was starting to feel dizzy, and coldness began to invade his body, bringing his temperature down drastically. He swallowed the dry blood down his throat as he breathed through his parted lips, before he peered up at the night sky again.

"Kanda..."

He wondered why he was thinking of that swordsman - the man whom he hated and yearned at the same time.

_"I don't promise you anything, Moyashi."_

Till now, he was still trying to get to know Kanda, even though they would end up fighting or quarreling. Each time they exchanged blows, each time they called each other names and threw sarcastic remarks that made the both of them seemed even more childish, he could feel that the relationship between the two of them was closer than before. He knew that Kanda felt the same as well, just that he did not want to talk about it. Though it wasn't showing much result, this was how the both of them communicated and understanding each other.

At first, Kanda rejected him immediately and declared not wanting to be acquainted with someone like him. He hated doing missions with him, and did not even care when he was attacked by the Akuma.

Gradually, he began to acknowledge his existence. Kanda still did not give a damn about him, but at least he began to accommodate with him during missions instead of leaving him behind. His words were less nasty, and their conversation was gradually turning better. At that time, he realised that talking with Kanda wasn't as difficult as he thought to be. That bastard was just too stubborn to admit.

One day, he was attacked by a level four Akuma and was critically injured, with a large gash at his chest and broken arms and ribs. They were surrounded, and obviously at a clear disadvantage. Normally, someone would have to be the decoy as the other would take the Innocence and deliver it safely to the Black Order. Since he was wounded, he told Kanda to go first while he would catch up later. He thought Kanda would really leave, but to his astonishment, the raven-haired Exorcist berated him on the spot.

_"Do not underestimate me, Moyashi. Such puny Akuma will not defeat me."_

Allen coughed out blood, his vision darkening fast as he felt his heart beating its last moments. He slowly drew his breath, gazing at the stars hanging at the night sky.

Suddenly, a blue butterfly slowly fluttered past his eyes.

_Blue butterfly?_

Somehow, as he was surrounded by darkness and emptiness which were about to claim him, it was the only thing that brought out the tiny shard of hope that he might be able to live―able to return back to his home and his friends and family. That image was so tempting that he almost believed it―until that particular second when excruciating pain attacked his body once again and he coughed out the thick crimson liquid for the last time that he knew his death was near. Tears slowly fell from his eyes uncontrollably, even though he reminded himself that men don't shed tears. He suddenly wanted to live once more, to do the things he wanted to do, to go back to those enjoyable days he had with his friends and family...

...to get a chance to fulfill the promise he made with Kanda. But...

_...it was already impossible._

"Blue...butterfly..." He slowly reached out for the blue butterfly which was flying away, his eyes gradually closed as darkness finally swallowed him whole. The tip of his bloody finger brushed past the edge of the soft blue wings, before the arm slowly fell onto the ground with a hollow thud.

.

.

Sapphire eyes widened in horror as Kanda stiffened in his position, unable to move all of a sudden.

"What are you doing, Yuu-chan?" Lavi yelled as he jumped in front of him and kicked a level-three Akuma out of the way. The bookman junior turned to the raven-haired swordman who was still staring ahead in a daze. He slowly looked down at his black sword dripping with blood, before he turned and stared at Lavi with a blank expression. He couldn't explain what he felt at that particular second, but it didn't seem to be good news.

"I told you to call me by that name!" He snapped, slashing down four Akumas at one go. He looked at the energetic redhead who was hopping around the ground, dodging the attacks as he held up his enlarged hammer and swung it as hard as he could, sending most of the monsters flying as they screeched loudly in the darkness, before silence settled in. The two Exorcists walked along the dirty road, checking whether there was more enemies around the vicinity.

"Where are the others?" Kanda asked, seeing his black golem hovering to him.

"Hmm? You mean Lenalee, Krory-kins and Chouji-chan? I think they are at the west, just a few metres from our location," Lavi answered with a grin. Kanda just frowned, wondering when that redhead was going to stop that senseless naming he gave to the Exorcists. But then again, why should he even be bothered by this? He sheathed his sword into the hilt, looking up at the sky. The only thing that was worth seeing was the setting of the sun. The light-orange rays dispersed into different directions, colouring up the pale sky that had once rained an hour ago.

It seemed that their jobs were finally done.

"Let's go back to the Order," Kanda said, turning back as he headed for the exit of the building which was mostly in scrambles and ruins. As they tracked out into the open, A gust of warm breeze suddenly went straight to their faces. He shut his eyes, his lips forming a thin line as he tilted slightly to the left, feeling bits of sand scratching his cheeks slightly. After a minute, it cleared, and he opened his eyes again, seeing the destroyed bits and piles of rotten bodies all over the place. Sapphire eyes narrowed.

"Should we contact the others to see how they are doing?" Lavi asked, peering at the raven-haired Exorcist with a curious gaze. Kanda brushed those hazy thoughts off his head and turned away.

"Che. They will return once they finish their work. If you want to stay here, do what you want. I'm going back first."

"Are you sure? They might need some assistance. Of course, we don't need since we have you and a genius like me!" Lavi piped up as he gleamed in happiness at his own praise. Kanda rolled his eyes in slight exaggeration. Frankly, he was extremely surprised that Lavi did not even flinch when he was saying that lie. He snorted in slight disdain. He was surely not going to follow him back to the Order, or else he would have turned into a fool like him.

"No matter what you say, I'm going back first." Kanda signalled Lavi to throw the Innocence over to him. Lavi just gave a slight pout at his cold answer, before he took it out and tossed it over to him. Catching it by his hand, Kanda slipped it into his pockets and turned around, walking towards the north. He could smell the heavy stench of corpses from the wind blowing towards his face. It seemed that Lenalee and the others would be finishing as well.

"Are you sure you are not joining us later, Yuu? We might be eating Japanese food later! You know, Japanese food! Soba!" Lavi shouted from behind.

"Shut up, rabbit. I am in no mood to think of food, unlike you," Kanda grunted in reply as he walked along the trail that would lead him back to the entrance of the town. Delivering the Innocence back to the Order wasn't the only reason why he wanted to return quickly. There was something that was slightly off - he couldn't describe it. Enemies had been all eliminated, but he just couldn't shake off this bad feeling.

"Exorcist Kanda Yuu! Thanks for the hard work!" He turned and saw a small group of Finders who was still analysing the whole place and situation. It was still as irritating when he had to hear the same words from their mouths.

"Are you going back to the Black Order now, Sir Kanda?"

"Yeah. The Innocence is secured," He replied. They nodded their heads in understanding.

"I have already contacted Lenalee-san and the rest. They have finished and is coming back. No reinforcements from the enemy as yet!" One of the Finders spoke out. Kanda nodded his head as he understood. It shouldn't be a problem for the three of them. Seriously, this mission was damn too easy. He should have gone by himself.

"All of you can go back when everything is settled here."

"Yes!" They shouted and saluted as they went off, continuing their work. Kanda brushed off the strands of hair from his face, before he turned and continued his way back to the train station.

Suddenly, something flashed brightly in front of his eyes for a second. Sapphire eyes widened in astonishment, and as he recovered, he realised that he was falling forward, his knees approaching the ground. He let out a gasp as he hurled his hands forward, stopping himself before he collapsed. Kanda winced, his fingers twitching as pain started hammering on his head for no reason.

"Sir Kanda!" Finders shouted as they ran towards him to check whether he was alright. The swordsman would usually refuse their help due to his pride, but this time, he was too stunned and shocked by this that he wasn't even bothered by it. He felt his head as he glanced towards the south, sensing that something was very wrong. He hadn't felt this worked up before, and he had no idea why.

"What!" They turned to see a Finder speaking to their communication system. Apparently, he wasn't very pleased in hearing the news that was spoken to him.

"What happened, Tupp?" One Finder asked him. He just stared at him silently with a frown, before he turned away and continued with the conversation over the communication system. Kanda just glanced at him in silence, wondering what had happened, but he knew it wouldn't be good.

"Bad news, Sir Kanda!" He finally spoke out when he finished the conversation. Kanda looked up at him.

"What?" The Finder swallowed in nervousness and took a deep breath, before he continued.

"The Finder following Sir Walker has just contacted me!"

Kanda frowned, his lips forming a thin line.

"Apparently, he has lost contact with him! He is now tracking down his whereabouts!" Sapphire eyes slowly widened in shock.

"What...did you just say?"

"According to the situation, Sir Walker was fighting with an Akuma with unknown powers. Somehow, they were fighting so quickly that he couldn't keep up with their pace..."

"What is the level of the Akuma?" Kanda questioned.

"It should be...Level Four." His eyes narrowed. Why would a level four Akuma appear here all of a sudden? As far as he knew, Level Fours were very rare and they mostly situated around Edo, never stepping out of the area unless necessary. He hadn't expected that the Millennium Earl would risk himself to release them, apart from the incident at the Order when the Akumas merged themselves to evolve into a Level Four.

"Where is he now?" Kanda demanded.

"Around the South, near Bradley Town!" The Finder said as he pointed the direction. Kanda sprinted down the path, cursing under his breath. Why must it always be that dumb beansprout giving him endless trouble? He should have gone with Lenalee and the rest if he was this weak, but Kanda doubted that was the case. It was...probably that they met the Akuma on their way and Allen chose to stay back and fight it while the others moved ahead, even though...the outcome wouldn't be a good one.

What a fool.

He looked around the ruins, desperately looking for a particular silver-haired teen who might reduce into something unrecognisable. Apart from the remains of the Akumas and a few of the Finders, there was nothing that told him that Allen was here. Kanda kicked away a debris which was blocking his path as he leaped onto a quarter of the collapsed stone building, staring into the dimmed surroundings shaded with darkness. The Finder said he was around this area, yet he couldn't find a single soul here!

"Where are you, beansprout!" His voice echoed loudly in the distance.

Suddenly, a blue butterfly sailed across his eyes. Everything just halted instantly, all his focus onto this creature which seemed so insignificant in this large world.

_Kanda._

Sapphire eyes widened. The blue butterfly flew out of his vision as it disappeared into the sky. Out of a sudden, his feet began to move as though he knew where to go - where to find that beansprout. Kanda jumped across a pillar and passed by some ruins, before he came by a place which was barely untouched even after such an uproar a few hours ago. He gradually slowed down into a brisk walk, his eyes scanning around for any suspicious figure. As he reached a lake, he finally saw someone lying on the grass. He slowly approached, his eyes gradually widened in horror at the state the silver-haired teen was in.

"Moyashi! Oi, can you hear me? Moyashi!" Kanda shouted as he knelt down and shook his shoulders. That stupid brat was so pale―no, he was beyond alive. His torn body soaked with blood was so cold that the feeling stung him. His lips was totally white. Kanda touched his neck, his heart pounding hard at his chest when he found no pulse beneath his skin.

_What...is this?_

"O-Oi..." His voice turned shaky. He couldn't shake off this bad feeling.

_What joke is this?_

"Oi, Moyashi..." Kanda yelled as he shook Allen roughly. Silver strands of his hair just brushed past his face, before falling to the sides lightly. There was no response from him.

_Allen is...dead?_

"Don't give me this bullshit! What did you do just now? Why are you like this? Why aren't you responding?" Kanda seethed in rage as he grabbed his collar and pulled him towards his face, shaking him hardly.

"ALLEN!"

Allen's body swayed heavily, and his face slowly drooped to the side, showing no reaction at all. Sapphire eyes went wide in shock as the reality slowly sank in. He slowly loosened his grip as he lowered Allen onto his lap. The raven-haired swordsman covered his face for a moment, his body started trembling out of its own accord. He had a feeling that this midget would be injured, but he had...never expected this to happen.

He had never expected Allen to be dead.

"Why..." His voice trailed off. A gush of wind sailed across the ground as dirt and dust was brought up into the moving air.

"Why did you break the promise?"

_"Until this holy war ends, until this bloodshed ceases and the world becomes peaceful again, we will not die, Kanda. You will not die. Lenalee will not die. Lavi will not die."_

_"What about you?"_

_"I...will definitely not die. Not until I walk down this path I chose."_

Kanda buried his face onto the small chest of Allen as he breathed in his faint scent. That particular scent of his was slowly fading away, disappearing forever. His expression hardened, yet that excruciating pain was still there, and before he realised it, tears escaped out of that pair of empty sapphire eyes, streaming down his face.

.

.

The blue butterfly continued to flutter as it stopped at the tip of the flower petal, before the wings slowly stopped moving.

* * *

A/N: As I am doing the other stories, I thought of putting this up for a change. It is another old story inside my laptop, and I decide to post it here to see if it interests you readers. Meanwhile, I am trying to finish the chapters for Rewind and Colourful Moments as fast as possible, so bear with me for a while longer!

Please review and tell me your opinions on this chapter! Everything is appreciated :)

**SingingBlues**


	2. The Past and the Present

**Chapter 1: The Past and the Present**

_"While I thought that I was learning how to live, I have been learning how to die."__―__Leonardo Da Vinci_

.

._  
_

.

There were a few knocks on the door for a while, yet Kanda just sat on the bed in his room, staring out of the window with a blank and listless gaze. Raven strands of his hair fluttered lightly in the air, before landing on his shoulders gently. His fingers slowly twitched in irritation. He swallowed as he looked down, feeling slightly breathless.

Everything had happened so fast that he could not keep up. It did not feel real at all. The routines as an Exorcist were almost the same, and they defeated the Akuma and collected back the Innocence, yet...Allen died. He...just had to die at this particular time. Kanda gritted his teeth as he clenched his hands tightly.

"Yuu-chan, can you come and open the door? Are you alright?"

Till now, he was still slightly shaken by the fact that the silver-haired teen was gone. He did not know why he felt this way, especially towards someone he hated so much in his life. He did not expect his life to be so empty―without that beansprout's irritating voice and laughter ringing throughout the Black Order, everything was no longer the same anymore. There would not be any quarrels or expected fights between the both of them. He would not hear any pathetic cries from him towards the people who died in the battlefield.

He closed his eyes. That image of Allen was slowly disappearing into the darkness.

"Yuu-chan, I know you are in there! Open the door!"

He cursed inwardly. Kanda stood up and walked to the door. As he opened, the redhead was there, looking at him in slight displeasure. To his relief, there wasn't any other groups of people who were queuing there to comfort him when he appeared. The raven-haired swordsman stood aside as Lavi stepped inside.

"Why did you take so long to open the door?"

"None of your business," Kanda said. Lavi said nothing as he reached to the chair at a corner and sat on it. Kanda went back to sit on the bed, staring out of the window. It wasn't his motto to let anyone into his room, but now, does it matter? No matter how he tried, the last bit of his anger seemed to have burnt out from blaming the midget on his sudden death. Now, there was no meaning to it anymore.

"I know you are affected by Allen's death, Yuu."

"I don't," He hissed coldly. He wished he could forget it.

"We did not...expect it. The enemy was probably...too much for him. I...I..." Kanda turned to the bookman junior who was stammering for no reason.

"You seem to be more affected by his death."

"Everyone does! You too! Isn't it?" Lavi exclaimed, staring at him straight in the eye. That seriousness he portrayed in that gaze was slowly piercing through him. Kanda turned and looked away, not wanting himself to be reminded of Allen who once had that same type of determined gaze. Sapphire eyes narrowed as he wondered why he was getting so worked up over him.

_Kanda..._

He couldn't erase away that voice echoing at his ears. No matter how he shut himself, it continued to echo deep in his mind, never ending. Kanda hissed as he shut his eyes.

"You are not yourself, Yuu. You did not come out to train, and chose to shut yourself inside your room. I don't know what happened at that time when you found Allen but―"

"I WANT TO FORGET IT!"

Lavi stopped talking, emerald eyes widening in astonishment.

Kanda covered his face, trying to hide the heavy feelings which were haunting him senseless. Everything seemed to build up so much that it felt so painful to bear. He couldn't ignore that stabbing pain at his chest when he last saw Allen. He couldn't stop blaming himself for being useless and not able to save him. He knew he shouldn't feel this way, because it was totally not himself at all! He would never let his emotions get in his way, he would never sympathise anyone, and he definitely would never mourn over someone's death and question his own ability on it! And yet he was questioning himself endlessly, wondering over the ' what ifs' and his answers. But now, it doesn't matter anymore. No matter how he reasoned out, it was already a fact that Allen was dead, and there was nothing he could do to bring him back.

It was so excruciating.

"Yuu..." Lavi went over to him, his arms wrapping around his shoulders as he pulled him into an embrace. Kanda did not say anything. His head leaned lightly onto his shoulder, and as he stared blankly into space, he realised that Allen would no longer come back anymore. Everything had become reality, and the worse thing was, there was nothing he could do.

Nothing.

"We are going to send him off now. Will you be alright to join us?" Lavi asked softly.

"I told you that I am not...!" Kanda stiffened at his words. Sapphire eyes narrowed as he hissed under his breath. He did not expect this to hit him harder than he expected.

"Yuu?" Lavi asked in concern as Kanda pulled away.

"Che." He stood up and grabbed his hairband, tying up his hair. As the raven-haired man took Mugen by his hand, he opened the door and walked out of the room.

.

.

.

It was deadly silent at the large field outside the Black Order.

Everyone stood by the side as they said nothing. Lenalee was sniffing as she took Komui's hand for comfort, while the supervisor just patted her back lightly as he stared ahead. Miranda was crying hardly, while most of the people around were mourning over his death.

His mind was blank. That pair of dull eyes just stared at the white-coloured coffin where the silver-haired teen had been laid. People were holding a rose in their hands, walking up to the front as they placed the red flower on his body, saying their last prayers for his final journey. Even at the last moment, seeing this reminded him painfully on the days and time he spent with Allen before he reached his end of his journey.

His gaze continued to stare at the casket, and before he knew it, he was standing right at the front of the coffin, staring at Allen who was lying in it. Kanda slowly stepped forward, his eyes never leaving the silver-haired teen who was showing such a peaceful expression on his face for the first time that he had ever known him. He stopped by the side, not doing anything as he just continued to stare at him in silence.

_Why are you making such a peaceful face?_

He took his rose and put it on his chest gently, just where his hands were.

_Are you that happy that you are finally free?_

Kanda slowly redrew his hand. He was supposed to say his last prayers to him, but he found it meaningless to do so.

_Are you...happy that you chose death? _

_If so, you should not have..._

"Any last prayers for him, Kanda?" Komui asked. Kanda said nothing and turned, walking back to the crowd where Lavi and the others were.

"Let's put our last feelings to Sir Walker before we proceed to the funeral."

The cover of the white casket slowly moved, the shadow of the silver-haired teen disappearing from his sight completely as it closed with a loud thud. Tree branches were placed around it, where his body would be burned eventually. It was a rule in the Order that once a person got into contact with Akuma, he or she had to be cremated.

He did not think of someday when that stupid midget would completely disappear from his life. It somehow did not make any sense, but now, it had really happened. It was only another Exorcist's death, but unlike the rest, it felt totally different. The air surrounding them was thicker and heavier than usual. There was no wind accompanying them today, everywhere was silent, and worse of all, he was also affected by this melancholic feeling which sank hard into his reality―that Allen Walker would no longer be around. He would not need to see his pathetic expressions again. The whole building would be ten times quieter with his voice gone, and food would be available all day without his monstrous appetite. He wouldn't need to see him every day again.

His clenched hands started trembling. Damn, how much further would this get? He was so joyously happy that he was finally out of his life. He could practically fly at this moment―or so he should feel this way, but what was this painful feeling he was getting? He wasn't getting emotional over that stupid beansprout! No way he would!

Soft sobs and murmurs were heard among the people who were present for the funeral. Some of them could not take it and decided to leave early. Kanda just stood at his position, not intending to leave. He could have made his decision to walk out of here before the heavy mood here was going to affect him as well, but he knew it was slightly disrespectful. Other people who did not know Allen well might leave by themselves, but he, Lenalee, Lavi and the rest who had spent times together with him, had understood his feelings and his decision at the last moment before he died. It would be totally rude to ignore all of these and step out as though one wouldn't care.

"Farewell, Allen," Lavi murmured softly.

"Allen..." Lenalee sobbed, tears streaming down her face. Miranda was already crying hardly in the arms of Krory who was comforting her silently.

"We will always remember you. Always," Reever said quietly as he closed his eyes.

"We will definitely defeat the Millennium Earl, Allen! We will!" Komui announced loudly, making a promise to the silver-haired teen that he would not waste the effort that he had paved for their future.

Kanda did not know what to say. His lips parted for a moment, before it closed again. The wind finally came, blowing past his ears as strands of his raven hair fluttered lightly in the air, brushing past the side of his face gently. The coldness invaded his skin, stinging his body a little. He shifted his arms, pulling his Exorcist coat closer to his body as he looked up at the empty sky. Images of his memories with Allen began to flash in his mind, from the first day he officially admitted to the Black Order, till the day he met his eventual death. It was slightly funny and ironic for him to realise that he was present during the beginning and at the end, as though the two of them were fated to meet.

Oil were splashed all over the casket and the tree branches around it. Komui then lit up a torch made of wood, before he placed it on the casket. Orange flames burst into life as it began to burn everything in its way. Soon, he could no longer see the casket anymore, and the fire continued to burn till there was nothing left.

Kanda just stared in silence, as Allen Walker slowly ceased to exist.

Rain began to fall, the cold droplets splattering onto their shoulders hardly like heavy weights. They were not expecting rain to fall at this point of time. Everyone was returning back to the Black Order hurriedly, but the three of them just remained there, not moving. He slowly breathed out, beginning to feel the chill stinging all over his body. His vision was gradually blurring from the heavy downpour. He could no longer see the remains of the casket as the fire slowly died out, leaving nothing behind. His chest suddenly tightened.

_I...will definitely not die. Not until I walk down this path I chose._

_Kanda..._

A grave was made in honor of Allen Walker who had fought valiantly as an Exorcist. Kanda slowly walked towards his grave, his hand reaching out for his name carved on the tombstone made for his chivalry and pride as an Exorcist. The muddy ground was uneven which almost caused him to fall, but he got hold of himself, telling himself that he would not collapse. Not in front of this dumb beansprout who had bragged about not dying after the battle and lost his life. He laughed bitterly at that thought. Yeah, that brat really deserved that. He deserved it.

"Kanda, we have to go. The rain's getting heavier," Lenalee called out from behind.

The rain continued to platter onto him. He was already shivering from the cold as his wet shirt was sticking onto his body, yet he did not care. Kanda stared at the tombstone, and out of a sudden, he felt like to reverse time, back to the time when Allen was still alive. He wanted to scold and mock at him for the foolish deeds he had done, and still ended up dead. After all, for the person who proclaimed that he would save everyone from the cursed power of his, he couldn't even save himself in the end.

"Yuu! We have to go!"

He kneeled down and leaned against the hard surface of the tombstone, breathing heavily. The temperature around him was dropping fast, and a surge of unbearable warmth burnt within him.

"Allen..." He mouthed out his name. It sounded so painfully empty and distant.

Lavi and Lenalee went over to where he was. Kanda slowly stood up in silence and followed them into the building sheltered from the storm. They said nothing to one another, each in their own thoughts. Lenalee excused herself as she went to find her brother, Komui, who would be in his office. Kanda and Lavi continued their way, but they weren't sure where they were intending to go at this moment either.

"I shall go find Gramps at the library. Where are you going...oi!" The redhead turned and was shocked to find Kanda stopping by a pillar, breathing in deep pants. His face was so ghastly white that it terrified him slightly.

"Oi, are you alright, Yuu? Oi, can you hear me? Oi!" Lavi ran over to the raven-haired man and shook his shoulders. Kanda slapped off his hand weakly, muttering something about not wanting his help before he turned away. As his hands left the pillar, his foot slipped and he collapsed helplessly onto the floor.

"Don't joke with me! You obviously need help!" Lavi exclaimed as he bent down and put his hand behind his back, cradling him carefully as he touched his face which was heating up rapidly. The redhead winced as he redrew his hand, stung by the raging heat of his fever. Sapphire eyes slid open for a while as Kanda coughed and gasped in slight pain, before they closed again.

"Yuu, you..."

"Go away..." He muttered.

Emerald eyes widened, shocked at what he was saying.

"What are you saying? Leaving you like this?" Lavi growled angrily as he grabbed his collar and pulled him closer to his flushed face. Kanda groaned softly at the tug, frowning as the pain was attacking him all over his weak body. Why was he feeling pain at this moment?

"No...Lavi..."

"There is no way I'm going to leave you alone!" Lavi said firmly as he put his hand around his shoulder and struggled to stand up. He was slightly shocked at how heavy the raven-haired man was even though he might not look like it. After ensuring that Kanda's body was secured behind his back, he proceeded to the infirmary. The Head Nurse was screaming hysterically for an empty bed when he arrived in the infirmary, and as the doctors and nurses rushed over to examine him, Lavi stood aside, observing him in silence.

"Lavi!" He turned to see Lenalee running to him. He nodded his head, before turning back to stare at the white curtains which covered the view of the hospital bed where Kanda laid. Frankly speaking, it really terrified him, because he had never imagined a day when Kanda would completely collapse. That stoic and emotionless man would never show his weak side to anyone, so no one really knew what he was thinking and how he was feeling. Allen might be the only person who understood Kanda, so when he died, it might be too much for him to bear.

"How is Kanda doing?"

"Still examining him," Lavi replied her. They stood there, silent. After a few minutes, the curtains finally opened and the Head Nurse approached them.

"How's Kanda, Head Nurse?" Lenalee asked worriedly.

"Don't need to worry. He is just down with flu, mainly caused by his fatigue and the slight infection from his wounds which have not fully healed yet. We have stabilised his temperature, so he should be okay after a few days of rest." Lavi heaved a sigh of relief, while Lenalee nodded her head and thanked God silently for saving his life.

"Though, it really surprises me to see him down with illness. He is the last person I expect to see in the infirmary. I wonder what had happened..."

"Head Nurse, we need you to see this patient here!"

"Okay! I have to go. The two of you may see him, but you cannot stay too long. He needs to rest, and I doubt he will be waking up soon as well." After giving Lenalee a few soothing pats on her shoulders, the Head Nurse rushed off to another hospital bed. The two of them settled down beside the bed, staring silently at the frail swordsman who was deep in his sleep. Violet eyes narrowed, and Lenalee stood up and pulled the warm covers closer to his chest to drive away the cold.

"I wonder what is going to happen from now onwards," Lenalee said. She couldn't help but raise this question which seemed to have no definite answer to it. Till now, she still could not digest the fact that Allen would no longer be fighting at their side. Without Allen, would they even have a slightest chance on winning this war? How would this progress from now onwards? She did not even want to think of it.

"I don't know, Lenalee. We have to see how it goes," Lavi replied.

"Frankly, without Allen here, I was getting a little afraid. What if we cannot win this war? What if every one of us will fall and die, and the whole world is destroyed by the hands of the Millennium Earl? So many thoughts came to me, and I don't even want to imagine any one of it..." Lenalee felt her forehead as she sank back onto the chair and buried her head into the soft and warm covers. Fear began to sink hardly in her reality as she tried to get hold of herself.

Her eyes widened slightly as she felt something warm touching her back. As she turned around, Lavi gave a light smile as though he was comforting her silently. That comforting gaze he used somehow calmed her down a little, as she slowly sat up and brushed her messy strands of hair behind her earlobes with her finger.

"I'm sorry."

"Why do you apologise? It isn't your fault," Lavi said softly.

"I shouldn't behave this way. Not...in front of Kanda." Lenalee turned and stared at the swordsman in slight guilt. All of them had been suffering for these few painful years, and the swordsman was the one who had been working hard to protect the people around them even though he did not like it, so she had no right to complain in front of him. It wouldn't be fair to Kanda who had put in his all through these years, especially when he was the one who found Allen at the end.

"So it seems his time is starting to move once again..."

"Huh?" Lenalee turned to him, stunned.

"No, it's nothing." Lavi stared at Kanda who was still in his deep sleep. Everyone was affected by the lost of one brave knight who had been bringing hope and courage through this tough battle. However, it was after Allen died did he realise that this was only the beginning. Without the support of the Time of Destroyer, the only one who was able to end this holy war, they would have to fight harder to earn their ultimate victory―be it either physically or mentally. And he wondered how it would eventually end.

Without Allen around, how would the ending really be?

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.

_**Two Years Later**_

"Stop pestering me, Usagi!" Kanda snapped, glaring at Lavi who had been following him for the past six hours. The raven-haired swordsman threw curses and threats, hoping that he would take the hint and leave him alone, but no matter what he said, that redhead just wouldn't budge at all.

"Why are you so cold, Yuu-chan?"

"Stop calling me that!" Kanda snarled, stopping in his footsteps as he unsheathed his sword and pointed it straight at his throat instantly. Lavi halted immediately, his body stopping just at that point when the black blade was fairly touching his skin of his throat.

"O-Okay, this isn't funny at all. Didn't you know that you shouldn't play with your sword, Yuu-chan?" Lavi laughed jokingly, but Kanda just jabbed the blade closer to his throat, cutting his skin as blood started oozing out of the small wound.

"Do I look like I'm _joking_?" The swordsman growled lowly in reply, glaring at him.

"N-No, I guess?" Lavi asked with a hesitant smile. Sapphire eyes narrowed as Kanda stared at him in suspicion. He knew that there must be reason why the idiotic redhead would pay him a visit out of a sudden, and despite his instant rejections and saying that he was a complete nuisance repeatedly, Lavi did not waver in his decision. He cursed softly under his breath as he redrew Mugen from his throat, sheathing it back to its hilt. It wasn't as if he was interested in knowing his reason for finding him.

"It has been two years."

His eyebrow twitched in annoyance. There it was. The main topic of the day. Kanda ignored his meaningless rants and took up his pace again, walking towards the training room. He knew that Lavi would follow him, but he decided not to care and shut everything about this irritating bookman junior off his mind.

"To me, it felt as though it just happened yesterday."

The raven-haired man turned at a bend, walking in a narrower corridor which would eventually lead him to the training room. Their footsteps echoed loudly throughout the silent surrounding, and he could hear Lavi's voice blasting so clearly into his ears, but he just treated as though there were numerous flies buzzing annoyingly beside him. He did not give a damn on what he was talking about, and the eventual question he was going to ask right at the end of this topic. Kanda stopped at the wooden door of the dojo and opened it, stepping inside the large space as he began to prepare for his usual training.

"It would be good if he is here, right Yuu?"

Kanda brought out the straw dolls which would be used as his targets, placing them at distances which he would be testing himself for the afternoon.

"Get out, Lavi. I'm going to train now."

He heard no footsteps walking out of the door―nothing for the next few seconds after he spoke. Kanda frowned as he turned to stare at Lavi who had somehow stopped talking at a certain point and did not move from his current position. The swordsman let out a frustrated sigh.

"What exactly do you want?"

"Why are you acting so carefree, as if nothing has happened?" Lavi asked.

"What?" Kanda questioned him with a cold gaze.

"You know what I'm talking about."

Sapphire eyes flashed darkly at the redhead who was attempting to start a meaningless argue session with him, and he was tired of talking to him. Kanda turned around and grabbed the cloth, blindfolding himself as he tied a tight knot behind his head. He unsheathed his sword, positioning himself in front of one of the targets as he prepared himself to attack. He wasn't going to care about that particular shadow hidden in his subconsciousness. He was not affected in the least.

"Are you really alright, Yuu?"

Kanda charged forward, and with a hard stride, cutting the straw doll into halves. He took a few steps back, his hands grasping on the hilt of his sword more firmly as he began detecting for the next target through his body senses. He paced in slow, careful steps, approaching the target behind as he raised his sword and slashed it, hearing soft rustles of the strands of hay fluttering lightly onto the ground. Kanda paused for a moment, taking in a deep breath before he turned to destroy the remaining dolls in the training room.

"That person present in the scenes may not be Allen, Yuu!"

Kanda growled loudly as he slashed the two dolls, and stabbed the last one hardly at its chest. He panted slightly, taking off the blind fold as he stared at the mess which were beyond recognition. He went to the store room behind, taking out a broom as he started cleaning the floor filled with strands of hay. After sweeping them into a small pile, Kanda was about to walk back to the store room to get an empty plastic bag when a hand grabbed his wrist pulled him around. His body was turned abruptly as he stared into the deep emerald eyes from the redhead.

"Kanda!"

His voice calling out his name pierced through his ears, ringing deep inside his mind, and at this particular moment, several memories he did not want to remember flashed across his mind―the day when he and Allen made a promise out of a mere whim, the day when he saw the collapsed Allen who could no longer wake up, the day when the Order had a funeral for the silver-haired Exorcist who was proclaimed as the Time of Destroyer and died earlier than the rest of them. Yes, Allen Walker left, and there was nothing for him to remember anymore.

_"A teenager borne with white hair and a demon eye has been strangely appearing at every crime scene where the Akuma had been slained." _

He was not alive.

He was supposed to be dead.

"Can you say something!" Lavi shouted desperately, shaking his shoulders hardly. Kanda hissed as he slapped his hands off roughly and pushed him away. Lavi gasped in slight surprise, stumbling in his steps as he crashed onto the wall. Before he knew it, a blade was already pointing dangerously at his throat.

"I don't believe in such ridiculous rumours. You should know that by now, Usagi," Kanda said with an emotionless face. From the moment he touched his cold arms and body, Allen Walker was already dead. He had never once looked back in his past, and he wouldn't now. That beansprout was no longer around. That name was erased permanently from his memory after his body was cremated on that fateful day.

Allen Walker ceased to exist anymore.

_"Until this holy war ends, until this bloodshed ceases and the world becomes peaceful again, we will not die, Kanda. You will not die. Lenalee will not die. Lavi will not die."_

_"What about you?"_

_"I...will definitely not die. Not until I walk down this path I chose."_

It was not a promise. They were just useless words which were not carried out, and as time passed by, those words became a heavy burden and a bad memory he did not want to recall. He wasn't supposed to remember, yet the last conversation they had just...played in his head again. He wanted to believe that he was truly dead, yet at that moment when Komui told them the information of their mission, why did he have a slight feeling that it might be him―that he was not dead at all?

"He isn't..."

Lavi slowly raised his eyebrow as Kanda continued.

"...that beansprout. Allen Walker is already dead. For someone who was present at the funeral two years ago, you should know that."

Lavi was silent. Seeing that there was no reason for him to stay, Kanda redrew his hand and walked out of the training room, taking Mugen with him. He walked out of the narrow corridor, entering the main halls leading to the cafeteria and the Exorcists' dormitories at the other direction. The raven-haired man went back to his room, putting down his stuffs on the table as he took off his boots and stepped into the washroom. He shut the door, pacing his way to the shower as his Exorcist coat gradually slid off his shoulders and landed lightly on the floor. As cold water splattered over his face and body, Kanda untied his hair and closed his eyes for a minute, staying like this for a while.

_I will definitely not die. _

Allen was a liar right at the beginning.

_"The two of you will be going for a mission together."_

_"What? With this usagi? I can handle this myself, Komui. The last person I want to pair up is this idiot," Kanda grunted in annoyance. _

_"But it has been a long time since Komui pairs us up for a mission! I can't wait!" Lavi exclaimed in excitement. Kanda shot him a death glare, warning him inwardly that something bad was going to happen to him if he did not shut his mouth immediately._

_"Okay guys, just let me finish the briefing before you two set off in the morning tomorrow. And do not make a mess in my office. It is already very hard for me to find my documents here," Komui sighed. Kanda frowned and snorted softly, turning away. Lavi grinned and gestured the Supervisor to continue. _

_"Lately, there has been a strange phenomenon going on in several cities where the Innocence are discovered. The Akuma which are sent there were all brutally killed. Please note the strong word that I used in the sentence," Komui said, flipping to the next page as he showed them the remains of the Akuma at the screen. Lavi cringed slightly, while Kanda just stared at it with an expressionless face. _

_"There is an Exorcist around?" Lavi asked in concern, studying the picture shown at the screen._

_"No. All of these incidents happened before the Finders arrived at the towns to search for the Innocence. We have not known this, and will not allow this action to happen until we get a full situation from the Finders." Komui said. _

_"Someone equipping an Innocence which is incompatible and is going berserk?" Kanda questioned with a frown. _

_"We have thought of this possibility as well. Then we found this," Reever said, pointing to the screen as he switched to the next picture. Both of them stared, and their eyes slowly widened in shock and horror at the faint figure of a white-haired teenager walking in the background. _

_"You got to be kidding..." Lavi muttered, not believing what he was seeing. _

_"We found out that Al...this guy has been appearing at every crime scene where the Akuma are slain," Komui swallowed and paused for a moment, before he continued. "He is the only eye witness for all the killings, but this isn't our main concern." _

_"The Innocence we are supposed to locate in these cities were all gone, and..." Somehow, Komui felt himself unable to speak further. _

_"And what, Komui?" Kanda asked impatiently. Komui stared at them with a grim expression. _

_"They were all...destroyed."_

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.

._  
_

Another Akuma screeched as white light engulfed it whole, before it exploded into flames, falling onto the ground. People were looking, yet they did not say anything. They did not run away, and there were no signs of fear in their faces, just total blankness and nothing else. War had been ongoing, and through the years, those feelings of fear, sorrow and anguish were slowly numbed. Enemies had been coming, and people were constantly dying every day. The multiple stabs to their hearts and bodies were so much that they could no longer remember the exact pain they felt, and tears could no longer fall.

He was standing there, in front of the burning machine which had fallen. His eyes stared at it with emptiness and...maybe a slight tinge of pity, and he wondered why he was still feeling for these emotionless beings who were controlled by the enemy and were only going to their eventual deaths. They knew nothing, remembered nothing, saw _nothing_, and just continued their slaughtering in such an absurd way that he found it ridiculously amusing, and he almost barked out in laughter.

"You...You are supposed to be dead two years ago!"

He slowly turned, facing another Akuma who had a mind of its own this time. Now, this was surprising. He knew what he was doing, and he still chose to do it? His eyes narrowed, his demon red eye flashed darkly at the next Akuma which was going to fall. A wide grin slowly crept up to his sadistic face as he licked his black nails stained with blood dripping down from his wrist.

"How pitiful."

He sprinted in a fast, blurring pace, and within seconds, he flashed right in front of the astonished face of the Akuma who seems slightly appalled by his sudden appearance. A bright, genuine smile formed at his curved lips as he muttered something, before he stabbed hardly into its eyes, wrenching them out forcefully. The machine howled loudly as it backed away, but he grabbed his arm and snapped it instantly before it got away, hearing the melodious screams coming out of its mouth.

A shimmering green crystal fell out of its hand.

"The Innocence!" It shrieked, attempting to take it back, but the Akuma screamed again when his head was grabbed and before he knew it, he felt himself floating in the air, before his entire body fell and crashed hardly onto the ground in an instant.

"So this is called Innocence..."

White strands of hair fluttered lightly in the wind as he landed on the ground, catching the Innocence in his left hand. He stared at it for a moment, in a slight admiringly and inquisitively look. Then, his eyes darkened, and he crushed the vulnerable little thing with a hard clench. He opened his hand, and the shimmering emerald bits gradually flew away, disappearing into the air.

"You...destroyed the Innocence?" The Akuma said in slight disbelief.

"So your senses are good even though you can no longer see," The white-haired teenager said with a smile as he walked towards it.

"Why did you do that?" The Akuma asked in bewilderment. It was supposed to be a hope for them, yet he just destroyed it without hesitation.

"Hmmm. Who knows?" He sang softly, slashing the machine for the last time as it exploded into bits. The white-haired teen stared at the bloodied hand, before he gazed at the blank sky. He hated the Akuma, and he hated the world―for being so weak and fallen into the hands of the Millennium Earl, and he hated this small, vulnerable crystal known as 'Innocence' which was the one creating the war in the first place. In order to bring everything back to where they originally belonged, all of them must be destroyed.

He smiled, disappearing into the alley. Seconds later, a blue butterfly fluttered out, spreading its wings as it flew to the sky.

* * *

A/N: I teared slightly as I wrote this chapter when they were sending Allen off on his final journey. But there are hints at the last paragraph of this chapter that Allen Walker might perhaps be still alive...what do you all think?

Argh, I'm supposed to rush on the chapter 'Colourful Moments', but my brain always malfunctions at the wrong time! It is already written halfway, and I will make sure to post it latest by Wednesday! Please look forward to it! :)

Lastly, please review and tell me how you feel on this chapter!

**SingingBlues**


	3. Reborn

**Chapter 2: Reborn**

_"If our destiny stems from our name, then I weep for the flower named Wilt."__―__Jarod Kintz, It Occurred to Me_

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._  
_

(The day before the mission)

The room was deadly silent. Reever stood beside the couch, feeling the heavy tension from the surrounding as he gripped the documents in his hands tightly, not saying a single word. Komui stared across the small coffee table separating the couch he was currently sitting and another couch where Leverrier was sitting. Howard Link was standing beside him, flipping his notebook which he always took wherever he went. The Inspector's face expression was blank, and though he could somehow guess his reason for coming here, he still felt slightly nervous about it.

"You should know my reason for coming here, Komui Lee Supervisor," Leverrier said in a cold tone. The Inspector leaned back on the couch, slightly relaxed, before his gaze bore hardly into his.

"The Central isn't happy with the news they are getting. The Innocence, which is our only main source of hope to defeat the Millennium Earl, are destroyed. In addition, someone with similar appearance as that person has been present at every scene."

Komui frowned, not liking the words that he used to describe him as 'that person'.

"Allen Walker may be dead, but please do not forget that he is once the host of the Fourteenth, a member of the Noah Family. Even if he is dying, the Noah would not want to die together with his host, would he?"

"So you mean that he might be alive?" Komui asked in slight disbelief.

"Are you doubting my words now, Supervisor Komui Lee?" Leverrier questioned sharply. Violet eyes widened slightly for a moment, before Komui bowed slightly in apology and shame.

"No, I...I do not mean that."

The Inspector gave a snort, looking down as he started flipping the documents on his lap.

"I give you six months."

Violet eyes widened at his sentence.

"What?"

"I give you six months. Trace back the recent incidents and find out who is the teenager who appears at every city where the Innocence is found. If he is _him_, kill him."

"K-Kill him?" Komui stammered slightly with wide eyes, wondering whether he was hearing the words correctly.

"By destroying Innocence, he has already committed treason to the Black Organisation. We would not allow such preposterous act to happen. Furthermore, if he is still alive, the threat of him being a Noah will be present as well. For the sake of everyone's safety, he has to be eliminated," The Inspector said with a emotionless face, not flinching at the words that he had just used. Komui found himself at a loss of words, not knowing how he should respond.

"As this is a serious matter, I will be sending Link down to the various cities which are affected to get hold of the latest information on the Innocence and the whereabouts of the teenager. You will send two Exorcists to retrieve the remaining Innocence that Central had located for you. When they have retrieved the Innocence, contact Link and bring it to him. He will be taking it back to the Order. Take down any threats, and find out about the teenager who might appear any time. Kill him if necessary." The Inspector then stood up, and Komui did the same, staring at him as Leverrier made his way to the main door.

"I trust in you, Supervisor. I hope that you will bring in good news for us," He said with a smirk. After finishing the conversation, Leverrier and Link exited the room. Reever went over to him and put his hand on his shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"That guy... He totally does not trust us at all," Reever muttered as he stared at the door where he left.

"If such thing happens, wouldn't you have done the same thing?"

The blonde stopped talking as he stared at Komui in slight astonishment. Komui stared at the documents which were spread out on the table, seeing reports and information which were about the incidents and more pictures of the mysterious white-haired teenager which he had not seen before. He knew that the Vatican would do something about it, but he never expected them to follow so closely for two whole years without anyone finding out. It only made sense that they had suspicions regarding Allen's death. At this, violet eyes narrowed in frustration.

"What should we do, Komui?" Reever asked in concern.

"We have to do it. There is no choice," The Chinese man said with a soft sigh as he stood up, walking back to his working desk with the papers in his hand.

"He is clearly controlling our movements, Komui! If he is doing this, then what is the use of having you here?"

"Get Kanda and Lavi here, Reever."

Reever stared at him in slight bewilderment, wondering whether he had been listening to what he was saying for the last few minutes. He couldn't comprehend why Komui could still act so calm at this kind of situation. Komui looked up at him, and he was stunned by the firm gaze in his eyes.

"Komui...?"

"We must catch up to their pace. You know what I mean right?" Komui said, pulling out his drawer as he started digging his stuff out.

"Yes, I know, but..."

"Actually, I have a feeling that this does not end yet."

Reever blinked, not understanding what he meant by his statement. Komui smiled slightly, taking out a portrait of him, Johnny and some of the scientists in the Science department, his sister Lenalee and her friends, Allen, Lavi and Kanda.

"Allen wouldn't just leave us like that. He will eventually come back. That's what I have believed for the two whole years."

"So you think that he..." Reever's voice trailed off as Komui stared at him, nodding his head.

"Yes. Allen isn't dead, and we have to find him first before the Vatican gets to him. And in order to do that, I have to send out the two Exorcists who know him the best for all these years." The Supervisor looked up as the door slowly opened, seeing Kanda and Lavi walking in as they approached him. The raven-haired man tied up his long raven hair into a neat ponytail, scowling at a certain redhead standing beside him who was grinning.

"What is it, Komui?" Lavi asked with a wide, energetic smile. Kanda just snorted in reply. As Komui stared at the two of them, he just somehow knew that they would bring their former Exorcist back to his eventual home―the place where he belonged. The Chinese man let out a smile as he handed them the folders which had the necessary documents inside.

"I have a mission for the both of you."

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.

.

Kanda woke up as a loud explosion rang out just two cabins away from theirs. The swordsman stood up, grabbed his sword on the seat and jumped aside just as his side of the cabin blew up into flames. Seconds later, screams and shouts of panic were heard throughout the entire train as footsteps vibrated the floor. He stared at the burning fire in slight absurd, before turning to the door as it opened, seeing Lavi standing at the entrance.

"There are Akuma at the front and above us, Yuu!"

Kanda muttered curses under his breath as he went out of the cabin. The narrow passage was filled with so many people that he could not even see the exit across it. The raven-haired man raised Mugen up in the air, shoving himself through the thick crowd as he headed to the other end of the train. He opened the cabin door and peered out, staring at the darkened sky filled with hordes of Akuma flying in the air. Kanda strapped his sword behind his back, gripping on the railing as he climbed up to the top of the cabin.

"Just thirty minutes and this happens..." He muttered. He took his sword and unsheathed it, swinging his arm as he cut the Akuma which was coming for him into halves. He sprinted to the front of the train, dodging the bullets which were shooting at his direction. The raven-haired man leaped to the next cabin, landing on it with a loud thud as he continued to move forward. He looked up, seeing his black golem flying to him.

"I'm at the top of the train cabin. Where are you?" He shouted.

"I'm trying to evacuate the people and destroying the Akuma within the train. It seems like some of them have blended in as well. Damn, at this time..."

"I will stop the train, Lavi." Kanda stared at the large group of Level twos gathering at the first cabin where the driver was. He assumed that the person attending to the train operations was already done for. He grimaced at the strong rush of the wind blowing in the opposite direction, halting his feet slightly to gain back his balance as he kicked another Level one out of his way. He peered at the bridge within a few hundred metres, realising that it was destroyed.

"The bridge is destroyed."

"What!"

"Damn." Kanda ran as fast as he could, sliding down to the door of the first cabin. He then placed his fingers onto the black blade as it started shimmering brightly.

"Innocence, activated." He then kicked the door open, seeing swarms of Akuma which were waiting for his arrival. Kanda slammed his foot down on the ground hardly, raising Mugen in the air.

"First Illusion, Kaichu...Ichigen!"

The blue insects shrieked as they burst out of his sword, destroying every single one of them in an instant as the whole cabin exploded. The raven-haired man sprinted towards the engine room, breaking the door open. The driver was there, infested with the virus of the Akuma as he died instantly. Kanda peered at the different buttons in front of him, before he noticed a big lever at the left corner. He grabbed it with both hands and pulled it down with all the strength he had.

Screeching sounds pierced sharply in the surrounding air as the train was forced to slow down. Kanda winced slightly at the splitting pain at his ears from the sounds, staring ahead as the train was speeding towards the bridge within minutes. There was simply not enough time to stop it before it reached to the broken bridge.

"More Akuma are coming, Yuu! Have you stopped the train?"

"Yeah, but there isn't enough time, and..." He stepped aside as the ceiling exploded, revealing at least twenty Akuma which were squeezing their way inside. Kanda stared at the front, hissing under his breath as the train was approaching the bridge within seconds.

There was only one way.

"Yuu, what are you...!"

"Shut up and do your work, Usagi," Kanda snapped as he raised Mugen, blowing up the entire ceiling. He then leaped up to the nearest Akuma, jumping across each of them quickly as he approached the entrance of the bridge. He then jumped down and landed onto the tracks, running for a few more metres until he was near to the broken place. As he took a huge heave of oxygen, he turned around, facing thousands of Akuma of Level twos and threes lunging towards him.

"You shall die, Exorcist!"

"Die, Exorcist!"

His eyes narrowed, glowing in a darker sapphire colour as he held his sword in the air.

"_Shouka._"

His sword glowed brightly, before his whole body was engulfed into streams of blue light. Three dots formed in his eyes as black veins surfaced around them. He felt crushing pain at his left chest, feeling the raw burn of his power tattoo activating as it started eating his life away.

"Lavi, take the people and move to the end of the train," He said.

"Yuu, don't tell me... No, Yuu! You aren't supposed to activate that! YUU!"

"DIE, EXORCIST!" The Akuma shrieked, activating their weapons as a stream of dark light was blasting towards him.

"Triple Illusion. _Baku_..." Kanda hissed, gripping the hilt of his sword as it shone in white, blinding light. He closed his mouth for a moment, before a light smirk appeared at the corner of his lips.

_"...HAKUZAN!"_

He hurled Mugen down to the ground. The whole ground shook a little for a few seconds, before the raging power slowly burst out, destroying everything in its path as it pierced through the hordes of Akuma in its way. Small explosions rang out, and as the power reached to the front of the train, the entire first cabin was burnt into nothing as a large explosion blew everything up. The train screeched as it stopped abruptly, just right where Kanda was standing.

Kanda breathed heavily, the power of his tattoo slowly disappearing as he slowly reverted back to his original form. Lavi jumped out of the cabin a few seconds later, and at seeing him, he ran towards him hurriedly.

"What the hell... Are you alright?" He asked in slight anger and concern. Kanda snorted in reply as he sheathed his sword back, strapping behind his back.

"Hmph. This is nothing."

"Nothing? Yuu, you do know that when you activate the Triple Illusion, the tattoo will start feeding your life drastically. You shouldn't be so reckless―"

"And what? If I didn't do this, all of us are going to die," Kanda hissed.

"But...!"

"If you have so much energy in talking, why not use it to help out those people over there?" Kanda said, pointing to the people who were coming out of the train. Lavi just stared at him in slight displeasure, before he let out a huff and walked back to help the passengers. He peered at the sky, seeing that the Akuma were already gone. It seems that the Earl's aim wasn't at them, but even so, they were preventing them from proceeding. What he definitely knew was that the Millennium Earl must have gotten the news regarding the white-haired teen who might be Allen. And if he was him, he wasn't going to let him off.

"The people said that there is a city within a few metres from here. The train is supposed to stop at the station linking to the city when this happens," Lavi said as he walked to him. Kanda took out the map from his pocket, flipping it open.

"What is the name of the city?"

"Burton City."

Sapphire eyes widened, remembering the briefing that Komui had gone through with them yesterday.

"The city where the incident starts happening, and..."

"The place where he first appears," Kanda finished. "It is the first check point for our mission." Lavi nodded in agreement.

After checking that there was no more Akuma in the vicinity, the two of them followed the people down into the deep forest as they walked towards Burton City. Kanda winced slightly, letting out a soft hiss as his hand touched his left chest where the tattoo was. Although the power was gone, the pain was still there, continuing to burn in his flesh. The raven-haired man ignored the irritating sting in his skin, focusing his attention at the surroundings as he made sure that there was no enemy tailing behind them.

He wondered whether he should believe that Allen was still alive. According to his character, he shouldn't, and he definitely would dismiss the idea immediately. Yet, he couldn't stop himself from thinking that the stupid beansprout might still be around somewhere, and the growing urge of wanting to reach to him was starting to frighten him slightly. He wasn't supposed to have some sort of obsession towards the other. He should push away his emotions and see the situation in an objective way like he normally would, yet...

"Are you okay, Yuu?" Lavi asked.

"Stop calling me by that name," Kanda hissed, feeling exhausted all of a sudden. His head started spinning dizzily, and as he touched his forehead which began convulsing in pain, he swayed slightly, almost falling off the slope that they were currently walking. Lavi noticed this and grabbed his arm in time before he collapsed.

"Yuu! Are you alright, Yuu? Can you hear me?" Lavi shouted, shaking his shoulders. Kanda growled as he slapped off his arm, attempting to stand up on his feet.

"Don't touch me." He winced, closing his eyes as he tried to chase off the migraine which was coming back to him again. It was probably the activation of the tattoo which was weakening his body, and he was slightly not used to it because he hadn't been using it for a long time. The raven-haired man swallowed hardly, taking a deep breath as he forced himself to move forward.

"The city is within sight," One of the people said. Lavi nodded his head, ignoring Kanda's curses as he supported him by his arm. Kanda was already breaking in cold sweat, his body shivering uncontrollably as he was unable to walk properly. Damn him and his body. Even though he knew that his power would use some of his life force, he hadn't expected himself to be reduced to this pathetic state and needed someone's help, especially a certain redhead whom he knew.

"We are here." Kanda slowly looked up, staring at the main street where most of the activities were held every day. Yet the difference was that the people were drastically lesser, and the place wasn't as rich as it used to be. People were lying on the street with blank expressions and dead eyes, as though they had lost the will to live. The ongoing war had left a scar in their hearts, stealing away the warmth that they used to have.

Lavi took him to an inn, and they took a room with two single beds. The redhead put Kanda down on the bed carefully as the raven-haired man sighed softly, closing his eyes. Lavi pulled the curtains slightly, staring at the empty street with no one around.

"I'm going to find the Finder that is assigned in this city," Lavi said. Kanda was about to get up when he pushed him down on the bed forcefully.

"What the hell are you doing?" Kanda said with a frown.

"You are too exhausted, Yuu. I can clearly see that."

"And I do not need anyone to tell me that. I am perfectly fine," He snapped, struggling to get up while Lavi pushed him down again. Sapphire eyes flashed in anger as Kanda glared at him.

"No, you are going to rest here, and that's that. I will come back after I found the Finder whom we are supposed to meet." Before Kanda could say anything, Lavi walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him. He had the urge to go after the stupid rabbit, but after a few minutes, he realised that Lavi was right. His vision blurred, and his body was too tired to respond to his commands. His eyes slowly closed, seeing the ceiling slowly disappearing in front of him as he fell into a deep sleep.

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"_**It looks like the Black Organisation is finally making their move." **_

The white-haired teenager stared at the faint shadow beside him in slight peculiar, before he showed a smile as he peered out of the windows, staring at the clear blue sky in the early afternoon. His long white strands of hair fluttered lightly across his vision, and he reached out to tug some of them behind his ear, humming a tune to himself.

_**"Aren't you getting relaxed, my nephew?" **_The echoing voice chuckled in glee. _**"You know that they will eventually come to you right?" **_

"Yeah, I know."

_**"You don't seem to be nervous about it." **_

He turned around, staring at his own reflection from the mirror. His hand slowly brushed away the fringe, revealing the small black stigmata which had appeared on his forehead ever since he woke up two years ago. He let down his fringe, walking to the bed as he let himself fall lightly onto the soft mattress, peering at the ceiling in slight boredom.

_**"When are you going to stop playing around, Allen?"**_

"Shut up, Neah," Allen hissed, silver eyes narrowing darkly in response. The shadow of the Fourteenth reflected in the mirror laughed, that pair of golden eyes twinkling in amusement.

_**"I didn't know that there would be a time you would call me by my name, Allen."**_

"Do not piss me at this moment," Allen warned coldly, getting irritated just by listening to the nonsense from the Fourteenth. He was obviously provoking him, curious on when he would eventually lose it by his taunting words, and he was the one who was playing around. Not that he was affected though. Allen stared at his hands as he slowly clenched and unclenched it. He was still not getting used to the new body he had just gotten. It was definitely not as flexible, but at least he was still alive thanks to the powers from the Fourteenth.

He still remembered that last moment before he reached his death's door, seeing a blue butterfly flying across his vision. His hand reached out, touching the edge of its wing as he wished that he could still live. He thought he would die, but he hadn't expected himself to be transferred to the next container and lived till now. At that split second when his vision blacked out, he found himself staring at the Noah himself.

_"You are..."_

_**"Nice to meet you for the first time, Allen," **__The Fourteenth said with a curling smirk. He froze at that familiar voice which had been haunting him for months. _

_"Fourteenth...!" He hissed in anger, stepping back as he prepared to activate his Innocence._

_**"Oops, if I were you, I would think twice before activating the Innocence here," **__The Noah advised. He flinched at his words, his eyes widening as he stared at him in astonishment. A chilling feeling invaded him all of a sudden, and his body began to tremble uncontrollably as he felt his gaze which bore into him. His lips slowly curled into a sinister smile, as though he saw through his fear in an instant. _

_**"You are now at my home, somewhere deep inside your sub-consciousness. If you activate your Innocence here, you will lose control of yourself and go berserk, because in here..." **__The Fourteenth paused, his predator eyes glowing brightly in this darkness. A white chair appeared behind him, and the Noah slowly sat down, putting his hands on his lap gently. He then looked up at him, smiling. _

_**"...I am in control."**_

_"I see." He said, his left arm slowly falling to the side of his body. From the moment he saw the Noah standing in front of him, he already knew that he might lose himself to the darkness forever. The Fourteenth would definitely gain control of his body for his own purposes, but somehow, he did not feel satisfied. His life was gone just like that after the Akuma stabbed him at his chest, and now he had to serve the Noah in here for eternity? It just wasn't right. It did not make any sense._

_Since he was alive and free, wouldn't it be better to do something that he wanted to do? He could do whatever he wanted, and no one would be stopping him._

_The Fourteenth raised his eyebrow in slight intrigue as the silver-haired teen slowly looked up, his cold eyes piercing through him._

_"I allow you to do whatever you want."_

_**"Oh?"** The Noah drawled out in slight surprise, leaning forward as he rested his chin on his hand, waiting for his reply. _

_"But I have things that I have not finished yet. Until then..."_

_**"Helping the Exorcists out?"** The Fourteenth scoffed, sniggering softly. _

_"No."_

_The Noah just continued to watch him, feeling excitement growing within him as he couldn't control the smirk appearing on his face. Allen stared at him, reaching out for the metal Rose Cross representing the Black Organisation at his left breast. He then tore it off, throwing it away with an expressionless face. The Fourteenth just stared at him for a moment, before he roared out in laughter._

_**"Are you seriously thinking properly? Do you know what you are doing?"**_

_"You shall aid me, and I will give you my body to do whatever you like. After all..." Silver eyes darkened as a smirk was formed at his curved lips. _

_"...I must use this second life properly, or else your efforts would be wasted. Wouldn't it?" _

_Golden eyes widened slightly. The Noah just stared at him in silence, before he showed a wide smile as he stood up from his seat. Golden irises flashed brightly as he walked towards him. _

_**"I like you, Allen. You always surprises me to no end."**_

_"So what is your answer, Fourteenth?" _

_The Fourteenth stopped a few metres across him. _

_**"I am the Fourteenth Noah who destroys everything. I am Neah. Let's work together, my lovely nephew."**_

Allen stared out of the windows, seeing the familiar horde of Akuma entering the town he was currently living in. He hissed in irritation, wondering when the Millennium Earl would ever give up. He stood up, muttering words at his mouth. His skin gradually turned a few shades darker, his eyes slowly turning golden as they shimmered darkly. He ran out of the room just as the whole ceiling broke and collapsed, crushing the entire place. The white-haired teen walked out into the open calmly, standing in the empty field which was already surrounded by hundreds of Akuma.

"Allen Walker..." They mouthed out, hissing angrily as they aimed their weapons at him.

"When are you going to give up?"

They attacked, and the whole place exploded. After a few minutes, the dust in the air gradually dispersed, revealing the white-haired teen who was still standing at the same position. The bullet wounds on his body and arms then began to regenerate at an extremely high speed, closing up within seconds.

"Even if you send all of them here..." He grabbed his left hand and pulled out his Innocence sword. Allen gripped on its hilt, stepping on the sand hardly with his left foot as he disappeared in a flash. The Akuma started screaming as they exploded into flames one by one, and when he came back to the same position, all of them were completely destroyed. The white-haired teen pushed the sword back into his left arm, peering at the blank sky as his golden eyes burnt in rage. He had died once, and after he came back alive, he was not the same anymore. He wouldn't be, and never would be.

_...you can no longer stop me, Millennium Earl. _

* * *

1. _Kaichu Ichigen, _also known as _Netherworld Insects_

2. _Shouka_, also known as _Ascending Flower _― forbidden spell whereby Kanda drastically increases his speed and strength at the cost of some of his life. This has to be activated in order to activate _Bakuhakuzan. _

3. _Bakuhakuzan, _also known as _Exploding Spirit Cut _

I really want to thank all readers who have reviewed, favourited and followed this story. It has received quite a lot of responses, and I really want to thank you all for supporting this story :)

This story will be semi-AU, with spoilers from the manga chapters. In this case when Allen meets Neah for the first time, it would be Alternate Universe. I don't think Innocence can be used when Noah powers is activated, but it is a different case here since Neah had made his approval in helping Allen to do his business that have yet to be finished.

I decided that this would happen after the Alma Karma Arc, when Kanda returns back to the Order after spending some time with Alma who is dying. His Innocence would be the Crystal type, but what I'm not sure is how it is activated. Does it appear somewhere when he activates it or Kanda just holds the katana wherever he goes and just activates it like before? I need opinions on this!

Thanks for reading, and please review!

**SingingBlues**


	4. Fallen Hero

**Chapter 3: Fallen Hero**

"_It's so hard to forget pain, but it's even harder to remember sweetness. We have no scar to show for happiness. We learn so little from peace."__―Chuck Palahniuk, Diary _

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The person was just standing there, covering partially by the translucent curtains which were fluttering lightly in the breeze that came into his room. His arm shifted slightly, brushing his long fringe aside.

_"If I ever lose control, please kill me."_

He heard his own voice talking to the person hidden in the darkness.

_"You won't." _

He let out a soft yet bitter chuckle at his instant, unhesitant reply. It was cold, and his body started shivering. He leaned against the wall, and as he peered at the sunset, he smiled.

_"Until this holy war ends, until this bloodshed ceases and the world becomes peaceful again, we will not die."_

There was silence for a moment, before he finally spoke.

_"What about you?"_

He was about to answer when no words came out of his throat. He just stared, and he wondered why he was here, and the reason for carrying out this conversation. Does it hold any meaning to his existence? And who was the person listening to him in the background?

_Just...who...?_

Silver eyes slowly opened, staring ahead as the wagon was moving slowly on the rough and uneven road. He swallowed dryly, sitting up as he turned and peered at the plains, wondering where he was. The hoofs clattered on the uneven ground as it was heading to the next city. He sighed, leaning back as he closed his eyes, listening to the soft murmurs of the wind.

It was that dream again. In that particular dream, he was unconsciously searching for something; a piece of him which had been missing ever since he woke up, and that person who was always there, listening to him in silence. The same conversation would always replay again and again, and whenever he was about to answer, everything just blackened and he woke up. Allen pressed his hand on his chest, not liking these emotions stirring within him at the recollection.

He could not remember much about his past memories when he woke up. Two years ago, he was an Exorcist in the Black Order. Those memories just came and flashed past quickly, and soon after, the people whom he once knew slowly became faint shadows as their voices echoing softly in the background. Their faces slowly blurred into something unrecognisable. He began to forget them, one by one.

Now, his aim was to revert everything back to its original place_―_to kill the Millennium Earl and destroy the Black Organisation and Innocence. He could not forgive the Millennium Earl for ruining the beauty of this world which was currently rotting away. He could not forgive the Black Order who treated people as mere tools to destroy the enemy. He could not forgive the Innocence which was making use of people's greed over its power to fight and hurt the others.

Most of all, he hated humans. He could not stand how weak, naive and selfish they were.

The wagon slowly halted in the crossroad junction, and the white-haired teen hopped off, paying the driver some tokens for the journey. He then walked towards the town just a few distances ahead, enjoying the cooling breeze and the tranquility of nature as he was surrounded by trees and flowers. His boots shuffled softly, kicking some of the yellow leaves which were lying on the ground. Light rustles from the trees travelled melodiously into his ears, and he wished that he could just stay here a little longer...

_**"I can sense the Akuma coming, my nephew."**_

...if that Noah could stop interrupting his peaceful moments. Allen hissed in irritation as he quickened his pace, walking into the town. The place was much livelier than the previous towns that he had visited. It was obvious that nothing had happened in here...yet. The white-haired teen tucked his hands into his pockets, looking around the market in slight curiosity. It had been boring for the past few weeks, and such activities could help to loosen himself once in a while.

He peered around the vicinity closely, not letting any one of them slip past his eyes. Until he found the rumored Innocence which was here, he would not allow anyone to be in his way. Allen closed his eyes, and after a few seconds, golden irises were opened as he scanned around the area.

_**"The Innocence is equipped by someone."**_

Allen stiffened slightly by his words, stopping in his footsteps. The Noah sensed his hesitation and snickered.

_**"Don't tell me that you are afraid of killing people, Allen."**_

"Shut up," Allen said sharply as he continued to walk. He took a small quiet alley at a corner, moving towards a church which was at the other end of the main street. As he came out, he stopped, seeing a young man who was only slightly older than him standing there. He was gripping onto his left arm which had a weird black tattoo around it. He then noticed the small cross at the back of his palm.

"Parasitic Innocence..." Allen then peered at his black arm which was also a parasitic weapon. Memories which he did not want to remember flooded his mind, and he shook his head, not wanting to be distracted for now. As he was about to approach him, someone ran to the young man hurriedly, a grim look on his face. He whispered something to his ear, and the young man's peaceful face changed instantly.

"How dare they come to harass my family again...!" He seethed, and the two of them ran off. Allen peered at them in slight curiosity, and decided that this was worth to see before he finished his task. He followed them behind, and as they were further away from the town, he saw a small cottage at the meadows, surrounded by large sunflowers swaying in the cooling breeze.

"I already told you to stop harassing them!" The young man snarled angrily at a mob of gangsters who were not threatened by his words in the slightest. They only stared at him in silence, before they roared out in hysterical laughter.

"Harass? Until you paid me the full sum, we will not stop this 'harassing'," One of the guys sneered, grabbing a young woman by his hand as he caressed her face on purpose. The young man growled as he tried to take her back, but the gang held up their guns and rifles in their hands as they pointed at both the young woman and a middle-aged woman who was his mother. The young man froze in position, his eyes widening in shock.

"Young man. I have already told you. As long as you have the money, we will not do anything to them. You are the one who does not keep to our promise, isn't it?"

The gang snickered as they took the young woman who was screaming away. The young man glared at them hardly, his eyes burning in rage.

Silver eyes narrowed, and the Noah within him just burst out into laughter, eager to see this show which was soon to begin any moment.

"Give them back!"

His left arm started to glow in blinding white light. The skin started hardening, forming a coat of silver hard metal for his entire arm. Everyone just stared in horror at what was exactly happening, and both women fainted immediately at what they saw.

"What the hell...?" The gang leader was furious, and as he signalled to other members, they started firing at him. The young man just stared at his left arm in stupor, and before he knew it, his arm moved on its own and blocked off every single bullet flying in his direction. The gang just stared at him, totally stunned. He just stared at his new formed weapon, and a sinister smile formed on his lips.

Shouts and gurgling screams echoed in the silent air. It only took him a split second to kill the entire gang in the field. The young man stared at his arm, and he laughed out hysterically to himself, marveling at the great power that he had just obtained. The house was half destroyed, and the sunflowers around it withered instantly. He could no longer feel the quiet and soothing ambiance in this place. It was totally ruined.

Allen hissed in anger, clenching his hands tightly.

The young man stopped laughing, realising that there was someone standing in front of him. He smirked, brandishing his new weapon which was formed by his own emotions and feelings. He opened his palm, revealing at least twenty gun holes as they started to glow brightly at an overwhelming speed.

Parasitic Innocence chose its own host. No matter who he was, as long as he fit its criteria, it would form itself into him, turning him into a living weapon and use him to destroy the enemy. It continued to make use of its host, draining away every energy and strength it could gather until there was nothing left.

"You have no idea what you are exactly using," Allen said, raising his left hand as his Innocence was activated, reflecting the bullets instantly. The young man growled in fury, and several gun holes formed along his arm with stronger fire power as he started firing them. The white-haired teen walked towards him calmly, dodging every single one of them with ease.

"DIE!" He shouted, his arm transforming into a large cannon which was strong enough to blow up at least several yards away. Before he could fire, the black claws gripped onto his weapon, stopping him. Golden eyes narrowed, and Allen clenched it hardly, shattering his weapon completely. The young man howled as he stumbled back, holding his arm which was bleeding profusely, but he grabbed his arm firmly, his fingers brushing along it gently until they stopped at his upper arm. His eyes just widened in horror and he screamed as they slowly slipped beneath his skin and tore the Innocence out of his bloody flesh forcefully.

"Please...don't hurt him..."

Allen paused and turned, peering at his mother who was half-conscious. She struggled to get up as she stared at him pleadingly, hoping that he wouldn't do anything which would hurt her son. The previous him would definitely hesitate at those words, but at that time, he was just utterly stupid.

The anger somehow subsided and he did not have the mood to kill him. Allen clenched his hand, breaking the Innocence into bits. The white-haired teen then walked out of here, his arm slowly reverting back to normal as his Innocence was deactivated. He was about to step onto the path leading back to the town when he heard a shout from behind.

"I will not let you get away with this!"

He felt a hard stab on his back. Allen slowly stopped, feeling his shirt behind soaked with his blood which was gashing out of the wound. He turned, seeing the smile from an insane man who foolishly thought that he had finally done a good deed. He had completely lost himself, and his only aim in his mind was to kill anyone who was in his way. He continued to laugh, his eyes twirling upwards as they gazed at the sky.

"He's dead...he's dead...they are finally dead! I killed them! I killed them all!"

The him in the past was willing to sacrifice himself for the safety of the people, but what exactly had he got in return?

"Are you happy?"

The man stopped laughing, looking up at the white-haired teen who finally spoke. His eyes slowly widened at seeing the wound which had stopped bleeding, the damaged tissue regenerating at a gradual speed. Allen turned to face him, and the man only trembled as he screamed out.

"MONSTER!"

It was a word that he hadn't heard for years. He remembered just how he hated himself for being different when he was still a child, and no matter how he did, all people said to him was that he was a monster.

"Yes, I am a monster." He smiled, his left hand turning to a darker colour as his fingers turned into sharp claws similar to his Innocence. His golden eyes darkened, and he pierced through his heart instantly, not battling an eyelid as he continued to stare at the man who slowly died from the pain without any emotions or sympathy. He then pulled out his bloody hand, licking the dark liquid from the sharp claws which slowly turned back to his fingers.

And he decided. He was not going to help anyone. He only lived for his own, and he would not hesitate to kill anyone who was in his way. After all, he was getting tired of living on for the sake of others who did not look upon him as human.

The woman cried out as she hugged her son's lifeless body. Her hoarse voice echoed loudly at his ears. His chest tightened slightly, and Allen slowly reached up and touched it, letting out a deep breath. She turned and glared at him, and he could see hatred burning in her eyes, making sure that he saw it clearly, such that he would regret for what he had done. He just stared back at her with an emotionless face. It did not matter how she wished so much for his death at that instant. At this point of time, it did not matter anymore.

The white-haired teen stepped onto the dirty path leading back to the town, before he suddenly stopped in his footsteps.

"When are you going to come out?"

There were soft shuffles in the bushes behind him, before someone appeared who was none other than the secretary working for the Vatican. Allen turned and stared at the blonde with an expressionless face.

"Walker," He said, stopping in front of him. He guessed that the Black Order had been following his every movement ever since he 'died', and he had not expected them to find him so early. Well, why was he so surprised? After all, they were the ones who were scared of his existence, and they would not give up until they saw him dead once and for all.

"Are you going to stop me?" He asked coldly.

"I am surprised that you are alive. How did you survive?"

"You do not need to know," Allen answered plainly.

"You have seen the Fourteenth's memories?" Link asked. Silver eyes widened slightly, remembering that moment when the Noah entered him and he saw various memories from different eras that the Fourteenth had travelled to, and he saw his Master Cross Marian and Timcanpy in some of them. What he couldn't understand was a particular memory of someone talking to Neah who had similar appearances as him. He had tried to ask the Noah himself, but Neah refused to answer him.

"I assumed that the Fourteenth saved you at that time," The blonde said, noticing the faint cross marks at his forehead as the wind blew by. Allen saw the same face expression which was found on others when they found out about his inner Noah_―_pity. He hissed in anger, his skin slowly turning dark as Dark Matter slowly accumulated at his finger which was aiming at him.

"You know that you cannot fight me, Walker."

"Don't be too conceited, Link," Allen growled, releasing the dark power which whizzed past the man's face within millimetres, grazing his skin. Link didn't move, his hardened gaze fixated upon him. Silver eyes widened slightly. Even though he knew the attack was going to hit him, he wasn't intending to move from his position? Even though he had the spells which were strong enough to restrict his movements and reflect his attack, he wasn't going to use it?

"Are you playing with me right now?" Allen hissed, humiliated by his actions.

"Why are you destroying Innocence, Walker?" He asked, ignoring his question.

"Because I hate them," He spat in disgust. Innocence had destroyed his childhood life, and he was forced to fight even though he did not want to. He had thought that he would use this power to save the others from the same pain he was experiencing_―_to make his life a little better than before. But as time passed by, that responsibility had gradually become a heavy burden, so heavy that he was sinking with it.

"You might become a Fallen One," Link warned, staring at him in a serious gaze. He then recalled the incident when he failed to save Suman Dark who had turned to a Fallen One after he betrayed the Innocence. He was slowly sucked into the substance that his Innocence had turned into_―_the consequence and punishment that he had to take for abandoning his duty. At that time, he was afraid that he was too late, yet as he stared at the Innocence which was attempting to swallow him as well, he was also afraid that one day, he might also end up like him.

"Even if I reduce to a Fallen One, I do not care," Allen said, raising his hand as the dark power began accumulating at his fingers again. As he was about to fire, dizziness hit him all of a sudden. He stumbled slightly, touching his spinning head as he felt his energy slipping out of this body in an escalating rate. The white-haired teen started swaying, before he collapsed onto the ground.

"Walker!" Link ran to his side, and as he was about to reach out to him, he spoke.

"Do not touch me."

His hand halted in mid-air as the blonde stopped immediately. Allen opened his eyes as he slowly got up to his feet. He peered at his body which was slowly fading in the sunlight. It looked like he had reached his limit. He staggered for a few steps, getting a grip of himself as he decided to return to the town to rest. The secretary just stood there, not intending to follow him.

"They are coming to find you. Your friends."

Silver eyes widened as he froze, stopping halfway.

"Lavi Bookman and Exorcist Kanda Yuu. They are ordered to collect the remaining Innocence and kill you if necessary."

He just stood there, silent.

Link said no more, and Allen left, walking back to the main street. He dragged himself to a quiet alley, before his legs finally gave way and he collapsed. The white-haired teen gasped out in deep breaths as he stared ahead, his vision gradually blurring. Even if all of his strength had been used up; even if he was about to lose consciousness, the blonde's words continued to echo deep in his mind, getting clearer at every repeat. Even though he had died once, why did those feelings refuse to leave him alone?

_"They are coming to find you. Your friends."_

Even if those memories he had gotten was just a fleeting moment, he wished to forget.

He closed his eyes, his body gradually fading away as it disintegrated, changing into a blue butterfly which landed on a nearby bicycle. Seconds later, it flapped its blue wings and flew out of the alley, disappearing within the crowds of people in the street.

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Kanda slowly opened his eyes, staring blankly at the dark ceiling in front of him. He dreamed of that particular night when he found Allen dead by the lakeside. He had stopped dreaming of it a year ago, but recently, it came back again. Every time, he would see the blue butterfly fluttering in front of his eyes, hearing his pained voice calling out to him before it flew away. Did Allen want to convey something to him before he left? If so, what did he want to say to him?

He slowly sat up, stretching his arms and limbs. The pain was gone, and he recovered his strength. Before he knew it, it was already late evening, and it seemed that Lavi had not returned yet. Kanda stood up and walked over to the window, pulling the curtains aside as he peered at the sun which was setting behind the mountains. He had wasted the whole day sleeping and doing nothing. The raven-haired man hissed softly as he took Mugen and went out, deciding to get a breather.

He walked out to the empty street. There was no one around, as though the entire place was abandoned and deserted. He peered at the broken wooden houses which were on the verge of collapsing. The banners and posters which were once used to sell things were ripped in bits, scattering all over the ground. What had exactly happened here which made the whole town in this state?

After reaching to the end of the street, Kanda noticed a small dirty trail leading to the outskirts of the town. He followed it, walking through small bushes and thick weeds as a silver lake appeared in front of him. The raven-haired man slowly stopped, peering at the greenery and trees around the area. He walked towards the lake, staring at the small lotuses floating on the surface of the water in silence.

He remembered the time when he knew he was part of the Third Exorcist project, and the fierce battle between Alma Karma who was the reincarnated form of his lover he had been searching for all these while. He remembered the moment when he stabbed Allen who was in his way, and the moment when he threw the both of them into the Ark to aid them to escape. Alma was already dying, and his last words for him were to live the life that he wanted to have without regrets. His mind went back to Allen Walker, and somehow, he began to regret slightly on how he had been treating him for the past few years.

The raven-haired man slowly knelt down, his hand reaching out as his fingers brushed the soft petals of the flower in the slightest touch. He looked up, and his eyes widened slightly at the blue butterfly which descended on a jasmine flower at the side of the lake. He slowly reached out, only to stop as the butterfly fluttered away. Kanda stared as it slowly disappeared into the darkness, his eyes narrowing in anger and frustration.

"Are you really alive, Moyashi?" He hissed softly, his hand slowly clenching.

_If so, where are you? _

"You are here, Yuu." Kanda turned, seeing Lavi standing at a tree. The redhead then walked to him.

"I found the Finder. He is currently waiting for us at the inn. I was just wondering where you have gone to. What are you doing here?"

"Nothing." The raven-haired man stood up, walking past Lavi as he headed back to the town.

"Are you alright?" Lavi asked in concern. Kanda only snorted in reply. The two of them returned to the inn, and the Finder began to report to them the latest activities and the Innocence that they had located so far.

"There is an Accommodator who lives in Fusha Village, just a few miles away from here. We are supposed to meet him and escort him back to the Order, but he is found dead a few hours ago."

"His Innocence?" Kanda asked. The Finder just shook his head.

"His Innocence is a parasitic weapon, and it seems that it was wrenched out of his arm forcefully."

"W-Wrenched out?" Lavi stammered slightly, his eyes widening in shock.

"Sir Howard Link came to the scene, and it is confirmed that the white-haired teenager was at the scene, and he was the one who took the Innocence out and destroyed it. He also said that there is Innocence located at France, and told us to head there immediately in the morning. There will be another group of Exorcists there to assist the two of you if there is a need to."

The room was silent. Lavi peered at the floor with a flustered look, before he turned and peered at him. Kanda remained silent with an emotionless face. He wasn't really sure how he should react. He wanted to ask whether the white-haired teenager was Allen, but when his lips parted, nothing came out. Those words felt so heavy, weighing down at his chest. It was as if he was hesitant in confirming that the teenager was really Allen.

"I see."

"Yuu?" Lavi stared at him in slight puzzlement. Kanda stood up and walked to the door.

"I'm going out for a moment. Do not follow me, Usagi."

He left the room, walking down the stairs to the main halls where the counter was. The clock at a corner ticked softly in the silence. His mind continued to repeat the words that the Finder had said. Kanda stopped at the door, leaning against it as he stared at the moon from a distance away, thinking back to that particular time when Allen helped him and Alma escape, allowing them to be together.

_I will not allow any one of you to interfere!_

He slowly closed his eyes, hearing the lulling sounds of the wind at his ears as his strands of raven hair brushed against his face. At that time, he wondered whether it was the first time that he was truly grateful to the silver-haired teen for helping him. He had wanted to return the favour, but he hadn't expected it to become like this. The raven-haired man opened his eyes once again, staring at the darkness in front of him. His grip on his sword slowly tightened.

_Are you running away, Moyashi? _

"Yuu?"

He turned around, seeing Lavi standing behind him. Kanda turned back and stared at the night view as the redhead went to stand beside him. The two of them just stayed silent for a moment.

"Do you think he is Allen?" Lavi finally asked, brushing away strands of red hair as he gazed at the stars in the night sky.

"I told you not to follow me."

He then showed a strained smile as he let out a soft chuckle.

"I wish...it isn't him. Allen isn't someone who would do this." Kanda just let out a snort.

"That person isn't him. He is already dead."

"Even so, why I couldn't dismiss the idea that it might be him? Even though I watched him being cremated, why do I have a thought that he might be alive somewhere, Yuu?" Lavi said softly, taking out his head band as he led down his long fringe which covered his right eye from view.

Kanda pulled his coat closer to his cold body, and as he stared ahead, a small butterfly fluttered past, descending down onto his hand. He stared at the small, vulnerable creature, recalling back that moment when he saw a blue butterfly before he found Allen's body. He then stretched his hand outward, and the small butterfly slowly flapped its wings and flew away. Kanda stared at its disappearing shadow, his hands clenching tightly.

"Even so..."

Lavi turned and stared at him. His gaze slowly hardened.

"Even so, I will find him, to confirm it with my own eyes that he is truly dead. If I do not make sure of it, I can never move on."

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She held a bouquet of jasmine flowers, standing in front of his grave. After staring at it silently for a moment, she bent down and put the bouquet onto the ground gently, before she stood up and stared at his name which was carved onto the tombstone. A breeze blew by, and the forest around her stirred slightly, as though it was responding to her heavy emotions. The memory of his funeral was still fresh, as though it had only happened yesterday. The reality of him dead just felt so unreal. Till now, she couldn't accept the fact that he was already gone.

"It has been two years," Lenalee murmured softly. She paused, taking in a deep breath.

"How have you been, Allen?"

The trees rustled loudly, and several yellow leaves fell onto the ground. She slowly closed her eyes, hearing the howls of the wind crying softly at her ears, as though Allen was beside her, answering her right now. Her lips quivered, and tears slowly fell from her eyes, streaming down her face.

"Allen..." She breathed, opening her eyes as she knelt down, her hand reaching out to the tombstone as she touched its cold surface. It felt so unbearable, and even though she promised herself and Allen on the funeral day that it would be her last time to cry for him, it was still hard to let the feelings go and move on. The days felt painfully long, so long that she couldn't even differentiate what she was really doing all these time that passed. Everything just became so meaningless.

Lenalee wiped away the tears and stood up, showing a determined look on her face. Even so, she had to move on. Allen wouldn't want her to live in this state forever. After taking a bow in front of his grave, she turned and walked back to the Order. She sighed, peering at the blank sky above her.

"It would be another year before I can visit you again, Allen..."

Lenalee stepped into the halls, deciding to visit her brother at his office. She looked around, realising that there were so little people around. Most of them were out on missions, and the rest who did not have assignments on hand were idling around, having nothing to do. Ever since Allen died, the Order was quieter than before. Some of them had gradually forgotten him and moved on, while others, like her, just continued to stay at one particular place, unable to go forward. She had wondered how exactly she lived on like this; how days could pass by without the familiar face of the silver-haired teen around anymore.

She stopped, feeling miserable and lonely. Her only closest friends, Lavi and Kanda, were currently on a mission and would not be back very soon. Her older brother, Komui, had suddenly sent them off, and no matter how she tried to ask him what the mission was, he refused to tell her. She knew that the information was strictly confidential, but didn't he trust his own sister? Was she someone who would reveal information to others?

Lenalee let out a sigh, continuing her way to Komui's office. As she turned a bend and came out of the corridor, her eyes widened slightly at the sight of the Inspector walking into his office. There was no signs of Howard Link around, which was rather strange since the secretary always followed him wherever he went. Lenalee frowned, approaching the door as she stopped, her hand stalling in the air as she wondered whether she should knock.

"...Innocence was pulled out of his arm forcefully. The Accommodator died instantly."

She stiffened momentarily, wondering what she had exactly heard. Lenalee took a deep breath and looked around, making sure that there wasn't anyone around at this time. She leaned closer to the door, pressing herself against the cold surface as she continued to listen.

"...already identified who he is. It is confirmed that the unidentified teenager who appears at every scene is Allen Walker..."

Violet eyes slowly widened in horror.

"You should know what to do, Supervisor Komui Lee."

_What are they saying?_

"Yes, I understand. They are already on the way."

_What are they exactly saying?_

"Good. Then, I shall wait for your good news."

Leverrier opened the door and stepped out of the office. He stood there for a moment, looking around in slight suspicion, before he walked away. Lenalee came out from the pillar, her shocked face turning pale as she gripped her hands which were shaking uncontrollably. She breathed heavily, wondering whether she was on her right state of mind; whether this was just another nightmare that she had experienced every night. She slowly made her way towards the door, her trembling hand reaching for the doorknob as she opened it. Komui was sitting at his working desk, signing his documents as usual. She noticed the wary look on his face, frustrated about something in his mind, and she had a slight feeling what it was.

"Oh, you are here, Lenalee!" He said, beaming in happiness at his sister's arrival. She just stared at him, slightly baffled at why her brother could just do his own things as though nothing serious had happened.

"Are you okay, Lenalee?" Seeing the blank and slightly dazed look from her, Komui stood up and approached her, touching her shoulder gently.

"Nii-san."

Komui blinked in bewilderment at her strange behaviour.

"What are you and Inspector Leverrier talking about just now?"

Violet eyes widened, and she could tell that her brother was taken aback by her question. He fidgeted in slight discomfort, breaking his gaze from hers as he stared elsewhere.

"It's just work, Lenalee."

"Is it only work alone?" She questioned skeptically and in slight disappointment, seeing through her brother's intentions instantly. No matter what was happening here, she was his sister, his closest kin. What was he trying to hide from her, and why was he hiding from her?

"Who have you sent, nii-san? Exactly what good news is the Inspector waiting, nii-san?" Lenalee then paused slightly, remembering that time when Kanda and Lavi were sent on a mission all of a sudden, and they were required to leave immediately without telling anyone of their whereabouts.

_"You should know what to do, Supervisor Komui Lee." _

"Lenalee..."

"Why is Allen's name mentioned in the conversation?"

Violet eyes widened as Komui froze in place at her words. Lenalee stared at him in bewilderment, not understanding why her brother was so shocked and shaken. The conversation that she heard over the door echoed in her head. Her trembling hand slowly reached up as she clasped her mouth, her shocked eyes widening in realisation. She then started shaking her head.

"Allen is already dead."

Komui said nothing.

"You saw it too. You are the one who cremated him. Isn't it, nii-san?" Lenalee muttered softly, her desperate eyes staring at him for answers, but he still said nothing. She walked over to him, slapping her hands onto his coat as she gripped his arms tightly.

"Why aren't you saying anything? Say something, nii-san! Say something...just...anything! I really do not understand what the hell is happening right now, so please, I beg you, SAY SOMETHING!" She screamed out, tears falling down from her eyes. A stifled whimper escaped out of her quivering lips as she let herself fall to his chest, sobbing uncontrollably. Allen was supposed to be gone, so why couldn't they just let him go and rest in peace? Why must she be reminded of him again, when it was a fact that she could never see him anymore?

"He is still alive."

She froze, her eyes widening in shock. After staying in silence for a moment, she finally croaked out a weak murmur.

"W-what?"

Komui let out a sigh, staring at her solemnly.

"Allen is still alive."

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The next day, the Akuma came. They killed anyone they saw on the streets, not sparing the elderly and the children. The past him would surely stand out and fight, but now, he did not care. Allen just laid back in the dark alley as he watched humans falling down, one by one. Blood was spilled and splattered all over the place. He could hear the Akuma screaming in happiness as they went on with the killing spree, yet he just stood here, watching.

"Help me!"

He looked down, staring at an adult who was crawling towards him. His tearful face was filled with intense fear and horror, his hands desperately reaching out for him as his voice pleaded for him to save him. Unfortunately, he was found out, as an Akuma began dragging him away. He screamed hoarsely, his hands digging the sands and dirt messily in an attempt to grab just anything to stop this. His wide eyes stared at him pleadingly, yet he only stared at him with an expressionless face as he was pulled away. Piercing screams rang in the air, before he saw a trail of blood forming along the path where he last saw him.

If he saved him, he would not end up dead. However, to what obligation should he save him, when he had already abandoned his own beliefs? He could be a saviour in the past, but he now realised that he wasn't a Saint. He couldn't save _everyone_, no matter how much power he had. Sacrifices had to be made. Even if humans did not die now, they would still die in the future. It was only a matter of time.

_**"The Millennium Earl goes to such extent just to find you, Allen? What a pity. There will be lesser humans to play with," **_The Noah sighed. Allen turned and was about to leave when he felt a presence lingering dangerously behind him. He stopped, staring at the wall as the moving shadow was getting closer to him.

"What do you want?" His face turned briefly, glancing at the Akuma which had killed the human earlier on. The Akuma only snickered, a crooked smile on its face.

"Are you asking for the obvious? If I get your life, the Earl will definitely reward me!" The machine screamed out in laughter, bearing out his metal claws as he lunged at him. Allen tilted his head, dodging the first swing of his weapon heading towards his face. He turned around and faced it, a light smirk forming on his lips to taunt the Akuma for failing to injure him, and the Akuma fell for it, raising his claws as it started attacking him swiftly in all directions, its movements so fast that everything became a blur. Allen continued to dodge, and he heard soft snips as his white hair strands were cut off, falling onto the ground. The attacks stopped, and they stood there, waiting for each other to make the first move.

"Why aren't you attacking? You aren't that weak, are you?" The Akuma sneered, detaching its claws from his body as it gradually transformed into a large axe. The white-haired teen did not move from his position, staring at his white hair which was lying on the ground. Seeing that he wasn't intending to attack, the Akuma charged towards him, raising the large axe over his head. As the Akuma hurled it down with its monstrous strength, his hand reached up, stopping the massive weapon in an instant. A strong gust of wind settled between the two of them as the ground shook slightly from the impact.

"What...!"

"I'm weak?" Allen muttered under his breath. His nails pressed hardly on its steel surface, and the weapon instantly broke, shattering right in front of them. The Akuma just blinked and stumbled backwards, taken aback by what had happened a few seconds ago. The white-haired teen stepped forward, his hand gripping its neck tightly as he hoisted the Akuma in the air.

"You must have mistaken. It's not that I do not kill. I just do not want to stain my hands with blood belonging to _filthy things _like you and your companions who just do not understand what the current situation really is."

He smiled, tightening his grip as the Akuma choked and coughed, its claws struggling to pry his hand open. The wind blew by, and an explosion occurred just a few metres away from where he was standing. The fire began to spread, and he was surrounded by screams of people running for their lives. Silver eyes narrowed in anger, slowly turning into a dark gold colour as he glared at the Akuma.

"Your only mistake in your life, Akuma, is to show your face in front of me."

A clear snap echoed in the air as blood splattered all over the wall. The Akuma fell onto the ground, motionless. His unmoving eyes stared at its corpse for a moment, before he cleaned away the blood and left. He jumped over a wooden fence, walking on the thick fields as he followed the dirty trail which would lead to the place he eventually had to go.

Everything blew up, and the entire town was in flames. The white-haired teen stopped and turned, and as he stared at the town, he remembered the greenery which was once enchanting and the beautiful sunflowers surrounding the fields. It somehow saddened him just how things like this could easily be destroyed in an instant. He then remembered the words that the Noah had spoken just a few minutes ago.

"Yeah, it's a pity," He muttered softly. He could never get to see such beautiful things again.

The white-haired teen turned and continued his way to his next destination. He peered at the trees and flowers which still existed even though the war was ongoing. It was a rare sight, and he stopped once in a while to admire their beauty and enjoy the cooling breeze which calmed his mind. Allen then saw a nest with small birds up the tree, and a small smile slowly formed on his lips.

_**"It's such a rare sight."**_

"What?" Allen asked, closing his eyes.

_**"It's rare to see you smiling at such insignificant things," **_Neah said. Allen slowly opened his eyes, seeing the little birds flapping its small wings as they took off towards the sky for their first time. When was the last time he was able to relax; to act upon his true emotions? But he could no longer stay in that particular time anymore.

"It is the only thing that can keep me sane," He murmured softly. He moved on, following the small path which soon ended as it connected to the main road. He looked up, seeing the faint, tall figure of the Eiffel Tower which was a few miles away. He would be arriving at the border of France, reaching Paris within a few hours. Allen stopped at a tree, noticing more people and horse carriages taking the same route as they approached the city.

"Is there Innocence in there?" Allen asked the Noah, closing his eyes as he gripped his left arm which started to hurt a little.

_**"There is," **_Neah replied. _**"And..."**_

He knew what the Noah wanted to say.

"There are Exorcists inside the city," Allen said, opening his eyes as he peered at the entrance. He slowly reached up to his chest, wondering what this feeling was. How long had it been since he met an Exorcist? Two years ago, he abandoned his identity, covering his traces such that no one could find him. The white-haired teen stared at his parasitic arm which somehow reacted slightly in response to his thoughts. Was he actually missing his previous job?

_**"I'm getting a strange feeling from this place, though it's up to you whether you want to go in or not," **_Neah said, materialising himself in the outside world as he stood beside the tree, smiling at him. Allen ignored his presence, staring at the entrance which would lead him into the city.

"Even so, I have to move forward," He murmured, stepping into the open as he walked towards the gates. He mingled with the large crowd gathering at the borders, and soon, he found himself on the street surrounded by small bricked houses and stores. It was a bustling place filled with shouts and laughter as people were carrying out their daily activities in the middle of the day.

Allen looked around, pulling the black hood over his head such that he wouldn't catch attention. This city seemed fine to him, but there was something which was bugging him for a while, and he had to find out what it was. The white-haired teen headed for the alley where there were lesser people around, taking shortcuts as he walked towards the Effiel Tower.

He gripped onto his left arm which started to twitch again. The bad feeling sank into him once again, and he quickened his steps, as though he had a hunch that something was about to happen.

_**"Allen, behind you!"**_

Silver eyes widened slightly at Neah's frantic shout in his mind. His body suddenly went stiff, causing him to stumble and fall hardly onto the ground. Allen grimaced slightly from the splitting pain as he was slammed onto a nearby wall against his will. His vision blurred slightly, and as he looked up, he saw a faint figure stopping in front of him.

"Look what I have got," The man with long dark curls smiled, playing with his hair by his finger. His Innocence arm activated on its own, and his eyes narrowed as his hand reacted by itself and lunged straight at his face. The white-haired teen gripped his hand tightly, forcing it back as he glared darkly at the stranger who was chuckling away. He then noticed the marks of dark stigmata at his forehead.

"Who are you?" Allen demanded.

"Sheryl Camelot, Noah of Desire. I have been searching for you all these while, and now that I have finally found you, I have no intention of letting you go..." A smile appeared on his face, and silver eyes only widened as he heard a loud and clean break from his hand.

"_...alive._"

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A/N: Hi everyone! How have you been? I have been busy, so I don't have the time to update at the moment. However, I will keep track of my stories once in a while, and I am so happy that this story has been receiving good reviews and loves from all of you! I do wish that you readers can give me more feedback regarding the progression of this story, whether it is good at this current pace or there is something which I can improve on (my writing structure) etc, such that I can continue bringing you exciting and cliffy chapters in the future! Although my updates are slow, it does not mean that I'm abandoning my stories! Please keep faith on me, and do not give up on them!

I'm thankful for the answers that I received from the reviews regarding Kanda's new Crystallised Innocence. I have read information from the internet, but I wasn't really certain how it is activated. Just to remind all of you that this story is semi-AU, with spoilers up to the current manga chapters. If you have any questions, please mention it in your review or PM me and I will be happy to reply back :) The story is slowly picking up, and there will be more battle scenes between Allen and the two sides very soon. Oh, not to forget the Apocryphos which I hated...he will also appear very soon.

Thanks for reading, and please review!

SingingBlues


	5. Our Promise

**Chapter 4: Our Promise**

_"Forbidden to remember, terrified to forget; it was a hard line to walk."__―__Stephenie Meyer, New Moon_

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He stepped out into the open, gazing at the sun which had just risen up to the bright sky. He let out a smile, adjusting his spectacles closer to his eyes such that he could see the beautiful sunrise more clearly. Settling on a comfortable spot in front of the inn that he was currently staying, he took up his sketch book and his pencil as he prepared to take down what he was seeing right now.

"You are here, Master. I was wondering where you have gone to when it is still early in the morning." He turned around, seeing a familiar figure behind him. He scratched his head, giving him an apologetic look.

"Sorry, Ma-kun. I was mesmerised by the scenery in front of me that I have forgotten the time." Marie looked up and stared at the sky above him. It was rare to see such a beautiful sight even though war had been ongoing for many years.

"You are right. It is indeed mesmerising."

"Oh, the two of you are here! Geez, I thought you all are still in your rooms!" A groan was heard as Chaoji stepped outside, walking towards them. As he was chatting with the general regarding his drawing, Marie found himself staring at the two of them in silence, remembering the days which he, the general and Kanda usually spent when they were on missions. It had been a while since he saw him, and he wondered whether the raven-haired man had been doing well. He heard from the general that he had been assigned a mission together with Lavi, though the details about it were not disclosed.

"What are you thinking, Ma-kun?" Marie blinked slightly, turning to where General Tiedoll was. He then smiled slightly.

"No, I was just wondering how Kanda is doing right now."

"When would he be joining us?" Chaoji asked curiously.

"It wouldn't be soon. He is currently on a mission with Lavi," General Tiedoll replied. "I just hope that my son would be doing well on his own..." He murmured softly, taking out his handkerchief as he sneezed into it, blinking his tears away.

"You are thinking too much, Master..." Marie muttered, patting his shoulders to comfort him. He certainly wished that Kanda would be alright. Ever since the incident regarding the Third Exorcist project and his reincarnated lover who turned out to his friend Alma happened, the raven-haired man hadn't been coping well lately. And then Allen's sudden death came, hitting him hardly. At that time, they had to set off on a journey right after his funeral, but Komui decided that it would be good for him to take a break before he joined them for travel again.

They packed up their belongings, getting ready to go out and continue their journey. As Marie was dealing with the check-out procedures, the Finder who was assigned to them came up to the general, bowing slightly in respect.

"What is it?" General Tiedoll asked with a smile.

"The Inspector's secretary, Howard Link, is here."

Chaoji just blinked in bewilderment, pondering on who this person might be. Marie turned and stared at him, wondering if there was anything happening in the Order which was serious enough for someone from Central to come personally and notify them. After collecting the bills, he joined them to hear what the Finder had to say.

"Where is he?"

"He is currently at a place, and asks me to bring all of you there." The general frowned slightly. If Link did not want to expose himself to the public, this would only mean that something serious had happened. General Tiedoll nodded his head in silence, and the three of them followed the Finder behind, passing by streets and roads filled with horse carriages moving about. They soon came to a dark alley with no one around, and the blonde was leaning against the stone wall, waiting for them.

"Why are you here?" General Tiedoll asked as the group stopped in front of him. Link turned and stared at them.

"It is an emergency. Central wants all of you to stop travelling for a moment and help to retrieve Innocence which is somewhere in this city," He explained.

"Innocence?" Marie questioned, slightly confused.

"Yes. When you have found it, please pass it to Kanda and Lavi who would be arriving in Paris shortly."

"Kanda-san?" Chaoji said in slight astonishment. The general blinked, surprised at what he had heard.

"Why would Yuu-kun be coming here, may I ask?" Link was silent for a moment, and they wondered what was it which made the blonde feel uncomfortable to speak out at this point of time.

"Actually, they are on a private mission to retrieve Innocence that the Vatican has located for them, and..." His words slowly trailed off as he paused for a moment.

"And...?" General Tiedoll probed, waiting patiently for him to continue. Link looked down, and he was sure the blank and serious face that he always masked was slightly off. He looked anxious, and his voice sounded a little desperate. The secretary then let out a sigh, looking up at them.

"They are to kill Allen Walker if he is alive."

His eyes slowly widened, wondering whether he was hearing correctly. Marie and Chouji just stared at him, stupefied.

"But Allen is already dead! There is no way he could have been alive! His body has been cremated at the funeral!" Marie exclaimed in shock. There was simply no way Allen could still been alive when his body was already gone. He was there, watching the process with his own eyes, and till now, that particular memory was still vivid in his mind.

"Marie is right. I was at his funeral on that day," Chaoji said, finding it not amusing when he had to choose Allen as the main character for his jokes. Link just let out a sigh.

"I know this sounds illogical, but Allen is still alive, and he is coming here very soon."

"He is coming here for...?" General Tiedoll questioned, raising his eyebrow. Although he knew it was simply impossible that Allen could come back to life once again, but the blonde seemed desperate and hasty, so he just allowed this conversation to flow smoothly at this pace. Furthermore, he did not have a reason to lie about it at all. It seemed rather hard to believe, but he would leave it for now.

"He is coming here...to destroy the Innocence."

Everyone stared at him in shock. Chouji hissed as he turned away, not wanting to comment on this. General Tiedoll stared at the blonde who was looking down with a grimaced expression, unable to say anything. It surprised him that he could see this melancholy side of him, and wondered what had really happen. Was it really true that he saw Allen alive?

"Kanda and Lavi will contact all of you as soon as they reached here." With that, Link turned around and walked out of the alley. The sounds of the heavy footsteps echoed in the air, and after a few seconds, it disappeared. Everyone turned, staring at the faint figure who stopped, his back facing him.

"Please...stop him."

His eyes widened slightly at the slight pleadingly tone present in his voice as Link disappeared into the street. General Tiedoll slowly turned to his apprentices, thinking whether he should consider his words regarding Allen. If it was true that he was still alive, why would he come and destroy Innocence? Now that he realised, it was a rather long time since he got to hear his voice.

"What should we do, Master?" Marie asked him. The general just peered at the sky which was gradually turning cloudy. He had a slight hunch that something bad was going to happen as they continued this journey. What would they find at the end of this path? Was Allen really alive even though he shouldn't?

"Let's look for the Innocence while waiting for the call from Yuu-kun and Lavi-kun."

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Allen grimaced and pulled away at the last second before his entire wrist snapped completely. He winced, touching his index finger which was somehow broken. At that particular moment, he was sure he saw a very faint and almost invisible string twirling around his wrist, but he was a little too late though. The white-haired teen looked up, glaring at the Noah who was staring at his fingers in slight bewilderment.

"I was surprised by that."

"What games are you trying to play?" Allen hissed. His body was immobile, and he saw more of these strings around him which was keeping him in place. When exactly had this happened, and how did he not realise it earlier? To be able to escape from the Fourteenth's keen eyes, he was the very first person to do that. At this, he slowly let out a smirk, getting really intrigued at this situation. Sheryl noticed the same sadistic smile on his face which was similar to his daughter and frowned slightly.

"What is so funny?"

Allen remained silent, the smile still on his face. He slowly attempted to move his hands which were restricted by his strings, his skin slowly turning a few shades darker. His white fringe lengthened slightly, covering his face between his dark golden eyes, and black stigmata slowly appeared on his forehead. His long black nails clicked, cutting the strings surrounding him immediately. The white-haired teen slowly stood up, staring at the Noah who wasn't surprised by this.

"So you have decided to become a Noah, Allen? I thought you detest this side of you. What makes you change your mind?" Sheryl asked mockingly, staring at him with a feigned curious gaze.

"You do not need to know. So the Millennium Earl sends you here?" Allen questioned coldly. The Noah just stared at him, slightly stupefied for a moment, before he burst out into laughter, shaking his head.

"How could that be? I am different from the Earl. Unlike him who wishes for his former Noah to join him once again, I do not want you to come near my family." Sheryl then moved his fingers, and Allen found his body reacting on its own again. However, the white-haired teen chose to do nothing and just stared at the Noah in silence, waiting for him to finish his conversation. His face then twisted into a somewhat grimaced expression which he couldn't identify. His body began to shake, his furious gaze meeting his.

"Because of you, my Rhode has disappeared! You shall pay dearly for this!" He clenched his hands tightly, and he could instantly feel the sharp strings strangling him. His skin tore immediately, and blood began oozing out of the deep cuts, dripping down his arm and legs.

_Don't stop. Keep walking. _

It was her last words, telling him that these were Neah's last words to Mana, and that Neah fought for Mana till the very end. It was because of those words that he found the will to move on again, until he was killed by Akuma. Now, he was still walking forward, but with a different purpose this time.

"What is your relationship with Rhode?" He questioned. Allen stared at him, knowing that this was meant for Neah to hear and answer. Till now, he hadn't grasped on Neah's complete memory and his past with his Noah Family, and he was also interested to find out why the Millennium Earl and Rhode wanted to protect him despite his betrayal to his family. Why did the Earl still want him back even if he attempted to kill him to become the patriarch of the Noah Family? Who was Neah exactly?

The Fourteenth did not reply, and he was not intending to reply for him either.

"We do not really have a relationship. And unlike you, I am not going to stop here," The white-haired teen answered with an expressionless face. Sheryl's face darkened, and he moved his fingers again, forcing him back to the wall. Allen hissed as his entire body was rammed onto its hard surface, sending more of his bones breaking. His hands were restrained, making him unable to pull out his Innocence sword. Sheryl saw though his thoughts and just snickered.

"You should know very well that Innocence cannot defeat me."

"Is it?" He muttered. A white coat appeared onto his shoulders as a metal mask descended on his face, covering his eyes. A white strip of cloth suddenly shot out of his wrist, and the Noah dodged to the side to avoid it, breaking gaze from him for a few seconds. Allen made use of this chance to cut off the strings and break free, stopping at a safe distance between the two of them.

"Innocence...!" He growled softly. Even if its owner had chosen to become a Noah, it was still willing to follow him? He covered his face, controlling his urge to laugh out loud. How ridiculous that was. What was it in the Fourteenth that made everyone want him? The Millennium Earl wanted him back, his lovely Rhode disappeared because of him, and even the Black Order wanted to get him back.

What was it in him that made everyone wanted him?

"You..." His golden, predator eyes glinted in fury, and thousands of strings connected to his fingers shot out, crippling his legs as it forced the white-haired teen down on the ground. He was about to cut them off when his black claws were stopped by the strings itself. His eyes widened in shock at the hardness of its material which could even withstand his sharp weapon. Allen grimaced slightly as he shot a heated glare at Sheryl who was grinning.

"That was just a mere greeting just now. Do not underestimate me, Allen." He tugged the strings hardly, and the white-haired teen hissed as his Innocence hand was gradually forced back, on the verge of breaking. He stared at his arm, seeing thin, blue veins starting to appear beneath his skin, spreading across his body. More cuts were inflicted on him as blood splattered all over the floor. Allen cursed under his breath, realising that if this continued, his real body would eventually be discovered. After he struggled against Death once, he was not going to be put down again. He was not going to let himself be pushed around by others anymore.

He clenched his hands tightly. Not anymore...

_**"Do you really want to see me that much, Sheryl? After you have been killed by me once..."**_

Sheryl momentarily stopped what he was doing, staring at the silver-haired teen who suddenly spoke. The atmosphere had turned slightly heavier, and the deep, chuckling tone in his voice was a little different than usual. His white hair rustled slightly in the wind, the end of the strands turning slightly red, and as he finally looked up, his golden eyes could only widen at the similar appearance towards his nephew, Tyki Mikk. A smile slowly formed on his curved lips as Neah raised his bloody hand at the Noah who was standing in front of him.

_**"Do you want to be killed again?"**_

"You finally appeared, Fourteenth. I am really curious how you managed to be reincarnated even though you are not included in the Noah reincarnation cycle this time," Sheryl said.

_**"Is it? I have obviously proven all of you wrong then," **_Neah chuckled gleefully. Sheryl growled lowly, tightening the grip of his strings surrounding him. The Fourteenth stopped laughing and stared at him with a cold, piercing gaze.

_**"Allen and I have made a deal. I will not allow you to kill him."**_

"Am I hearing things? Are you perhaps protecting him?" Sheryl sneered in amusement. He then snapped his fingers, realising something.

"Oh, I have forgotten! Without your host; without this body, you cannot even come out! How pitiful. I could just kill this boy and you are as good as dead, Neah."

Neah almost rolled his eyes at those words, before he finally barked out in hilarious laughter. Sheryl stared at him with a slight frown.

_**"Kill him? You?" **_Neah repeated incredulously, still trying to curb his laughter as his eyes were wet with tears. The Fourteenth slowly calmed himself down, showing a crackled smile. _**"The past him will not be able to defeat you, I agree. But now, after putting down all those unnecessary feelings and emotions which are hindering him, he is better at making wise judgements. This body will belong to me sooner or later, so I must well allow him to be as crazy as he wants to." **_He then paused for a moment.

_**"But if you intend to kill him, I will not allow it. I am the only one who can break him. Even if you are that person's precious apostles..." **_Neah cracked his knuckles as his dark power began to surface around his body, breaking all the connected strings instantly. The white-haired teen soon disappeared, and before Sheryl knew it, the Fourteenth appeared in front of his face, clutching his neck using Allen's Innocence hand. He was so close that he could literally feel his warm breaths touching his cold skin. Golden eyes narrowed as he shot a metal string straight into his ribcage, dangerously close to his heart.

"The last thing you should do is to get close to me, Fourteenth," Sheryl said coldly. Neah just grinned back in return.

_**"I could say the same words back to you." **_

"Why are you here? Why did you only appear two years after you have 'died'? What exactly is your motive, Allen Walker?" Sheryl questioned in a soft hiss, glaring at the white-haired teen in front of him whose existence should already been erased two years ago. Given his character of not wanting to hurt anyone, with Neah's memory in him, it would be better for him to be dead. He wished for that as well, so why was he here? What exactly was he and the Fourteenth planning?

"Please stop, the both of you."

The two of them turned to where the voice was, which belonged to none other than Tyki Mikk. He peered down at the metal string attached to Allen's body, before he sighed and cut it off. Sheryl stared at him in astonishment and slight shock.

"Tyki, why are you...?"

Tyki then turned and stared at the white-haired teen who was currently Neah. The Fourteenth stared back at him in silence. A smile appeared on his face.

"It's good to see you again, Allen."

Allen said nothing, continuing to stare at him. He then slowly released his hold on his neck, deactivating his Innocence at the same time. Sheryl stepped back, catching back his breath which he had been holding back for a few minutes. He was slightly glad that Tyki came at the right time. The white-haired teen stared at the blue veins on his skin which were getting more evident, spreading towards his face. He hated this, but it was time to retreat for now.

"Why are you stopping me, Tyki?" Sheryl asked in a whimper, feeling so saddened and heartbroken by his nephew's action.

"The Earl wants to see you," He replied with a sigh. The Noah of Desire just stared at him skeptically, before he let out a huff. He then turned to Allen who hadn't said a word since.

"I'm letting you off for now, Allen Walker. I will definitely come and find you again." Sheryl turned and walked out of the alley. Allen turned and was about to leave when something grabbed his wrist, stopping him. Silver eyes widened slightly as he turned and stared at the dark Noah behind him. The two of them just stared at each other, and throughout the entire time he was watching the both of them just now, he wondered how much the white-haired teen had changed.

"What?" Allen asked, staring at him with a cold gaze. That pair of silver eyes which would always give out a strong and determined glimmer was already gone, replaced by mere emptiness. His arms were cold when he touched them, and he could not sense any emotions coming from him, as though he threw them all away. For him who love humanity to do that, he must have made a firm yet painful decision.

"No. Are you going to find the Innocence located in this city?" Tyki let go of his arm and smiled. Allen said nothing, raising his eyebrow slightly. He just stared at him for a moment, and his eyes widened at seeing a pair of sapphire wings behind the white-haired teen's back.

Seeing that there wasn't a need to stay any longer, Allen turned and left the alley. Tyki blinked, wondering whether he might be seeing things just now. He stared at the shadow of the white-haired teen disappearing into the main street, probably on his way to find the Innocence which was in this city. A grin slowly formed on his lips as the Noah of Pleasure chuckled softly to himself, deciding that he should continue to watch this show for a while more before he returned home for the day. He followed the trail that Allen took, walking out of the narrow passageway as he mingled together with the gathering crowds in the early afternoon.

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"The sakura legend?" Kanda questioned, peering at Lavi in slight absurd as though he had heard the most ridiculous story on earth. Lavi just let out a defeated sigh, slamming the documents on his lap as he leaned back on the cushioned seat, deciding not to explain further to this person who hadn't got what he was trying to say for the last two hours of the train journey.

"There is only one sakura tree in Paris, which is rare because the land is not suitable for sakura trees to grow. Furthermore, this sakura tree blooms at every season. Rumours said that love will blossom between you and the person you like. And-"

"This is just stupid and ridiculous," Kanda muttered, closing his tired eyes as the train went into the tunnel. He hadn't been sleeping well for the past few days, and because this was rather sudden, they were only provided with the information regarding the Innocence and had to find the location by themselves. The raven-haired man let out a soft sigh, wondering how long this was going to continue. How long was he going to meet the beansprout? And if they met, what would really happen between the two of them?

As the train exited the tunnel, travelling in the open once again, the cabin door opened as the Finder stepped inside, closing it quietly behind him. Kanda's eyes were still closed, and Lavi put a finger at his lips to tell the Finder to keep his voice as low as possible lest he wanted to wake the bad-tempered swordsman up and bear the consequences he had to take. The Finder nodded his head and sat down quietly across him, taking the papers in his hands.

"I have just contacted General Tiedoll, telling him that we will reach in around thirty minutes. In order not to waste any time, they have decided to set off first to locate the Innocence."

"I see," The redhead nodded his head. "Did they know about the sakura legend then?"

"Sir Howard Link has reached Paris and explained it to them already."

_'That was fast.' _Lavi thought. He glanced at Kanda who was leaning slightly towards the window, wondering whether he would be glad to meet the general and his comrade once again. He hadn't expected them to be in France at this timing, but with an experienced general around, it was better than nothing. Furthermore, they had to prepare themselves for a sudden battle with the mysterious teenager if he was there as well. If he was really Allen, he wondered whether he should be happy for it...

The Finder excused himself and went out of the cabin. Lavi just stared at the empty seat across him, hearing the soft chugs of the train ringing at his ears. He peered at his small hammer in his hand, wondering how the gramps had been doing while he was gone. When he was still at the Order, Bookman was already out, doing an errand which presumingly was something related to the Bookman clan. The short man hadn't informed him on his current whereabouts yet, which would also mean that he did not want him to know what he was doing for now.

The redhead stretched his arms and limbs which were getting sore from sitting too long in the train. Their destination was getting closer at every second which passed by, and frankly, he was slightly nervous at what was about to come. What would he say when he saw Allen, and what should he do when Allen was the one who was intending to destroy the Innocence? If it really happened, could he treat Allen as an enemy and fight him? He swallowed, touching his chest which tightened slightly. He had never thought that this particular day would really come.

He felt something heavy pressing on his shoulder. Lavi turned, slightly surprised to see Kanda leaning against him, sleeping soundly. He couldn't help but chuckle in amusement at what he was currently seeing. Kanda rarely depended on anyone, and he wouldn't let himself to depend on anyone either. He was simply tired today, letting his guard down a little. Lavi smiled at this sight, reminding himself not to utter any noise while he was asleep. It would be disastrous if he realised what he had done, and he also wanted him to rest a little more before they reached Paris.

_Even so, I will find him, to confirm it with my own eyes that he is truly dead. If I do not make sure of it, I can never move on._

Those solemn words that he said last night echoed in his mind. It pained him slightly to hear it from him; that he was still affected by his sudden death two years ago. Was Kanda still blaming himself for not reaching to his side earlier to save him? Till now, he hadn't really understand how Kanda really felt when Allen was gone. When he knelt down in front of his grave, what was his feelings towards Allen's departure at that particular time?

The door opened, and the Finder peered in, telling them that they are reaching. Kanda stirred slightly in his sleep, and Lavi pushed him away lightly, not wanting him to misunderstand anything when he woke up. Sapphire eyes slowly opened as he blinked, taking notice of the surrounding he was in. Kanda turned and peered at Lavi who was staring elsewhere. The train gradually stopped as it arrived at the station. They took their belongings and alighted, standing on the platform of the train station.

"Where is the Finder?" Kanda asked.

"He is buying the necessities and contacting the Exorcist group we are supposed to meet...oh, we are meeting General Tiedoll's group later," Lavi said. Sapphire eyes widened slightly as Kanda turned and stared at the redhead. The Finder came back with the necessities in his hands, and they proceeded towards the city in France which was a few metres away. Kanda was silent during the journey, thinking back the words that Lavi said a while ago. He let out a frustrated snort, wondering whether it was a good thing to see that irritating old man again.

"I haven't been able to contact General Tiedoll and his group just now. I just informed Sir Howard Link that we are here, and he told us to meet him at the inn that the group is currently staying," The Finder spoke out. They stopped, staring at the lively city of Paris in front of them. Kanda stared at the crowds walking about, realising that they were finally here. He peered at the trees along the roads, seeing yellow leaves fluttering down to the ground.

They boarded a horse carriage which would bring them to their destination. Lavi glanced at Kanda who was peering outside listlessly, remaining silent for the entire time ever since they arrived. He could see slight anxiousness in him, wondering whether it was relating to the white-haired teen they might be meeting on the way who might be Allen. His hand reached out, wanting to give him a comforting pat on his shoulder. However, he stopped halfway, and after a moment, he decided not to.

The carriage stopped in front of an inn. They stepped down, carrying their belongings in their hands. Sapphire eyes narrowed and Kanda couldn't help but stare at the blonde in slight disdain as he spotted Link sitting at the main hall, waiting for them. As they entered, Link noticed them and stood up. The Finder went off to do the procedures, and the three of them just sat down on the couch, silent for a moment.

"Where is General Tiedoll and his group at the moment?" Lavi finally asked.

"They have gone to search for the Innocence. They will contact me if they have found something. Since they have not contacted us, all of you can rest here for now," Link replied.

"Who is the teenager in the background?" Kanda suddenly asked. Both of them looked up, slightly taken aback by his question. The raven-haired man stared at the blonde hardly, making sure that he was staring straight into his gaze.

"Who is he?"

Link said nothing. Kanda frowned and was about to probe further when the Finder came to them with the keys of their rooms for the night. The raven-haired man just cursed under his breath, before he grabbed the keys and proceeded upstairs. Lavi peered at his disappearing shadow, before he turned back and stared at the secretary who was looking down on the floor. He could not understand why he chose to remain silent at Kanda's question. He should have seen his face, so why he did not want to say it...

Emerald eyes slowly widened. His heart ran cold at the mere thought of it. The redhead turned and headed back to his room. He threw his belongings aside, flopping onto the bed as he laid down, peering at the ceiling blankly. The secretary's face expression flashed in his mind, and he couldn't ignore the idea to why Link hadn't told them of the teenager's identity. He could just brush it off - after all, in logical reasoning, it was impossible. But apart from Allen, who else could the person be?

Kanda peered out of the window, getting irritated just by thinking of it. Just what made him ask that all of a sudden? What pissed him off the most was the silence that greeted him when he asked the question. The blonde who had been following Allen around strictly for twenty-four hours should have figured out who that teenager was, so why wasn't he answering him? Even if he might be Allen, why did he choose to remain silent, showing a complex face expression which he could not define?

After staying in the room for a few minutes, he decided to set off and find the Innocence instead of wasting time here. Kanda opened the door, and simultaneously, the door from the opposite room also opened as Lavi walked out as well. Lavi noticed him and grinned.

"Having the same thought as me, Yuu-chan?"

"I told you to stop calling me by that name," Kanda said, closing the door behind him. Link was nowhere to be found, and they went back to the main street, wondering where they should started searching. Kanda then selected a random street, and they began walking along it, looking around the city.

"Somehow, I miss those days which we walk on the street, with nothing in our minds. We just walk on, enjoying the breeze and the light atmosphere around us. I remember that the four of us went to the festival at the town just below the Order once," Lavi said with a smile, peering at the decorations and the stalls along the street.

Kanda did not have much recollection of that particular time. If he really went with them, he must have been forced by either one of them against his will, since he disliked going to crowded places filled with people. He peered at the lanterns hanging on a thin wire, a blurred vision slowly surfacing.

_"Write your wish on the lantern and release it into the sky! The Gods will surely know and grant your wish!" _

Sapphire eyes slowly narrowed. Yes, at that time, that irritating beansprout was also pestering him to do something which he did not want, but strangely, he just did what he said. He then wondered what he exactly wished for. It was probably one which he made out of a whim; to please the beansprout such that he would stop bothering him.

Now, what did he want to wish for?

They stopped, and Lavi asked some people in French regarding the legend which he mentioned during the train journey. Despite being ridiculous and acting like a fool most of the time, he admitted that the redhead was still of good use in some areas. Kanda sighed as he leaned against a nearby wall, folding his arms in slight boredom. He glanced across the crowded street, and at that split second, he saw white strands of hair fluttering out of the black hood from a teenager who walked out of an alley.

_Kanda..._

Sapphire eyes slowly widened in horror.

"Yuu?" Lavi came back, staring at him in bewilderment. Kanda remained frozen, and a few seconds later, his arms started trembling uncontrollably. It was impossible. He was supposed to be dead, so why was he getting a strong feeling that the teenager he had just seen was that person whom he knew? He shut his eyes, chasing all these irritating thoughts away.

Why was he feeling this way?

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"From what they said, it should be around this area," Marie said, peering at the small houses and the streets filled with lesser people around. They were getting further away from the city, and from the information that they had gathered, the sakura tree should be around the area that they were currently in.

"Even so, isn't it strange that a sakura tree grows in the land of France? Shouldn't this attract attention already? Why didn't the Black Order get hold of this information earlier?" Chaoji asked in puzzlement. General Tiedoll did not say anything, deep in his thoughts. It was certainly strange that this phenomenon hadn't got the attention of the Black Organisation which would always obtain information efficiently through their branches situated all over the world. They wouldn't be so careless to leave out any rumours which might concern the appearance of Innocence.

"We are here." He slowly looked up, seeing a large sakura tree in the middle of a barren land. Even in this cold and harsh weather, the flowers bloomed so beautifully in the sunlight, its pink petals fluttering down to the ground. The light yet addictive scent filled the air, circulating around the area where they stood. An unknown feeling struck within him, and the surrounding suddenly became rather bright, all of his focus onto the sakura tree which was slowly attracting him, beckoning him to come over to it.

"Master, Chouji...!"

The delusion in his mind was instantly snapped as he heard Marie's cries. General Tiedoll turned and stared at Chouji who had a strange expression on his face he couldn't decipher. The young man just stared at the sakura tree in a daze, smiling as he slowly walked towards the tree. Then, it suddenly dawned upon him on why no one reported this to the Order until recently, and why there wasn't anyone near to the sakura tree.

"Ma-kun, stop Chouji!" He shouted. Marie nodded his head and shouted his name, but Chouji showed no response as he was walking closer to the tree. He then activated his Innocence and used the strings to grip onto his wrist, pulling him back forcefully. Chouji staggered in his footsteps for a moment, before his eyes blinked as he stared at the surroundings in slight bewilderment, wondering why he was standing here. He then noticed the string around his wrist and turned around, staring at the both of them.

"What have I...have I been doing?" He muttered softly, having no recollection on that moment when he was unconsciously approaching the sakura tree. His eyes narrowed as General Tiedoll stared at the tree, getting the strange sensation he got just now which was gradually messing up his senses. Something in that sakura tree was attracting him in a way that he couldn't stop himself, and he knew for sure that he must not get any closer to it.

"Is this the Innocence's doing, Master? If it is, how are we going to retrieve it?" Marie questioned. He stared at the pink flowers fluttering down, recalling back last spring when everyone was together, standing under a sakura tree in the garden which was situated in the Order. Lenalee was chatting with Miranda, Lavi was joking around with Kanda and Allen teased the swordsman which sent them on another round of bickering. It was such a pleasant moment; something which he would not forget in his life.

"As I stare at the sakura, it reminds me of many memories. Many...nostalgic memories of the times I spend with Anita-san and the crew..." Chouji murmured, staring at the pair of linked bracelets on his left wrist.

"As I thought...this sakura tree feeds on people's memories. It triggers the memories within us, slowly attracting us to it as it takes over our souls. This is also one of the reasons why no one has reported this till now," General Tiedoll said. People who had come near to it should have already lost their lives.

"What should we do, Master?" Marie asked. Meanwhile Chouji had activated his Innocence and was walking towards the sakura tree. He clenched his left hand as he held it in the air, ready to give a damaged blow to it.

"Chouji, what are you doing! Don't be so reckless! You heard what Master said right? You cannot get close to that tree!" Marie shouted to him.

"No one can temper with my memories. They are precious moments shared by me and my friends and family. They are mine, mine to begin with," Chouji said with firm determination, his Innocence glowing brightly as he charged forward. His version blurred, and he could hear many voices echoing in his mind. Then, one particular memory of Allen chatting with him happily halted him in his footsteps. The white-haired teen had saved him countless of times, despite how he hated him for abandoning the Order. When he passed away, he felt slightly saddened, yet slightly glad that there was not a need to fight Allen anymore.

_Allen is still alive, and he is coming here very soon._

Marie activated his Innocence, stopping the branches which were attempting to bind Chouji to the tree.

"If you are really alive, Allen, my decision will still be the same." Chouji gritted his teeth as he rammed his fist onto the tree truck hardly. A strong gust of wind shot at his face, and his feet which stood on the ground firmly began to move backwards. He grimaced, shutting his eyes as he used all the strength he had to hold him in place, forcing his foot to take a step forward.

He knew he was weak. His Innocence wasn't as powerful as the others, and he was at a disadvantage against long-ranged attacks. Even so, with this power he had, he wanted to protect his friends and the people around him from the enemy. Even if it means sacrificing himself, he would do anything to make sure that everyone was safe.

Chouji yelled at the top of his voice, pushing his fist through the barrier as it made contact with the tree. There was silence for a moment, before the ground started shaking and the sakura tree exploded, blasting them off a distance away. The dust and dirt began to clear, revealing the shimmering emerald crystal floating in the air. The sakura flowers began to fall from the sky, gradually filling the barren land with its pink petals.

"Beautiful..." General Tiedoll murmured, opening his hand as a pink sakura landed on his palm.

He slowly got up to his feet, gripping onto his left wrist as his Innocence reverted back to the paired bracelets. He approached the emerald crystal, gradually taking it with his hand. The Innocence glowed for a moment, before it stayed motionless on his palm.

"Are you alright, Chouji-kun?" General Tiedoll and Marie came to him worriedly. He just grinned, showing the Innocence that he obtained through his own power. The general just sniffed and patted his shoulders, glad that he was alright.

"Now that we have the Innocence, let's contact Yuu-kun and Lavi-kun. They should have arrived already." They turned around and was about to walk back to the capital when they saw someone standing a few metres away from them. A breeze blew by, and as the sakura continued to fall, his black hood slowly fell off, revealing strands of white hair and the red scar at his left eye. They froze in place, their eyes widening in shock.

"That person...!" Chouji stared at the white-haired teen who suddenly appeared in front of them in horror, at a loss for words. There was simply no way Allen could still be alive, so who exactly was this person standing here?

"What is it? Master?" Marie questioned the general beside him.

"Allen-kun...so what the secretary says is true," General Tiedoll murmured, not believing what he was seeing. It was logically impossible for Allen to return back alive again as his physical body was already cremated. So if he was here, what was the body that he was currently using?

The white-haired teen said nothing and walked towards them. That pair of cold eyes looked around, before they fixated onto Chouji who was still holding the Innocence. Chouji stumbled slightly, feeling wary and slightly frightened by that hard and emotionless gaze which felt like sharp knives stabbing into his chest.

Before they realised it, Allen disappeared in a flash, appearing before him within seconds as he gripped his neck tightly, strangling him alive.

"Give me the Innocence."

"Chouji!" Marie and General Tiedoll ran to his aid, but an immerse dark force from the white-haired teen blasted out, throwing them off instantly as they fell onto the ground. His gaze remained onto him, his hand around his neck tightening till his skin was turning blue. Chouji choked and coughed hoarsely, seeing a blurred vision of Allen Walker who was beyond recognition. He wasn't the white-haired teen whom he knew two years ago. He could not detect any feelings nor emotions from this person standing in front of him, yet what was this suffocating and heavy feeling he was getting when he stared into his eyes? What was it which drove him in this state?

What was it that Allen desperately wanted, even if it means coming back from the dead?

"_Noel Organon!_"

Allen turned momentarily, seeing bleeding cuts inflicted at his arms. The strings around his arms tightened, forcing him to release his hold on his neck. Chouji collapsed onto the ground, coughing hoarsely as he touched his bruised neck. More blood splattered out as his arms were tied together, preventing him to do anything.

"Chouji-kun, are you alright?" General Tiedoll shouted, getting up to his feet. He stared at the white-haired teen who was too calm in this situation. His eyes showed no fear - no, it was as though there was no emotions present in him. Why was Allen still alive, and what exactly had happened to him during the two years when he was missing? Why did he change so much, until he became a completely different person whom they once knew?

The white-haired teen hissed angrily, grabbing the strings which cut his fingers instantly as he ripped them off forcefully. At the same time, Chouji activated his Innocence and was about to hurl a punch at his chest when his fist was stopped by his left hand which started to glow, transforming into his Innocence weapon. The sharp claws broke into his armour, and Chouji just stared in horror as his Innocence was slowly breaking apart.

"Give me the Innocence," Allen said, giving him the last warning. Chouji clenched his other hand in anger, wondering why he was still so weak even after obtaining this power. Why was he frightened by his mere gaze? Was his resolve this weak? Even though he swore that he would gladly fight Allen if there was a need to, was he cowering in fear? Was he actually afraid of the Allen Walker who unleashed his true powers, just like now?

"Even if it means sacrificing myself, I will not give you the Innocence!" He yelled furiously, clutching his Innocence tightly. Even if his Innocence was broken; even if he was to be killed by his hands, he would never hand it to him. He was not going to cower in fear like he did in the past.

"Then you shall die," Allen said, his skin turning a few shades darker as a black sword made of dark matter was formed at his other hand.

"No! Chouji-kun!"

"Chouji!"

Silver eyes narrowed as he gripped the hilt of the sword, hurling it down to his chest. Chouji slowly closed his eyes, waiting for his death to come.

"CHOUJI!"

Suddenly, something shot out and stopped the sword which was just centimetres from his chest. Allen stared at another silver sword which reflected his attack in slight astonishment, before he looked up, his eyes slowly widening at the raven-haired swordsman who appeared in front of him.

"Yuu-kun..." General Tiedoll stared at him, not knowing what to say.

"K-Kanda..." Marie heaved a sigh of relief.

"Kanda...san..." Chouji murmured as he stared at him, shocked.

Lavi stopped behind him, breathing heavily from the running. He then looked up, emerald eyes widening in horror at the person whom Kanda had stopped. The redhead swallowed, staring at the familiar white-haired teen whom he hadn't seen for two whole years.

"So you are really alive, Moyashi," Kanda muttered. He could not recognise the Allen Walker whom he knew from this person. That cold piercing gaze from his eyes was completely different, and from the dark skin similar to a Noah, he somehow guessed why he was still alive even after taking a fatal blow from the Akuma.

_If I ever lose control, please kill me._

A smirk slowly formed on his curved lips as Mugen began to glow brightly. It was a promise between the two of them, and he would gladly grant him his wish. After all, he was more than happy to sentence him to death by his own hands.

"This time, I will kill you."

_This time, I will definitely stop you._

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_A/N:_ I think I made quite an effort in portraying Chouji's feelings in overcoming his weakness to protect the others from danger. Frankly, it surprised me because I personally do not like Chouji, and he is the very first and only character which I dislike in DGM till now. But this story plot needs him so I have no choice *sighs* please do not hate me...

I realised that the numbers of the chapters are wrong. The first chapter is prologue, so I have replaced the chapters with the edited ones. Apologies for this! I have also decided that the spoilers for this story will be up till Searching for A.W Arc.

Thanks for reading, and please review! :)

**SingingBlues**


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